Nigerians want a younger president in 2019-BusinessDay/NOI Polls show

A survey conducted by NOI Polls in partnership with BusinessDay, has shown that Nigerians would prefer a younger candidate for the country’s 2019 presidential elections.

Spurred by the recent victory of French President, Emmanuel Macron, 39, and increasing discussions in the social space, particularly the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign, led by the youth advocacy organisation, YIAGA, the poll sought to glean the perceptions and opinions of Nigerians, regarding their age preference for presidential candidates in the 2019 elections.
It turned out that 64 percent of Nigerians would prefer to vote for a presidential candidate between the ages of 40 and 50 years; and this was followed in a distance by 15 percent who prefer candidates between 51 and 60 years.
“We hope that the results and findings from the poll would begin to stimulate conversations and debates, and have implications on electoral reforms, particularly on the issues of age restrictions and independent candidacy; internal political party reforms and the wide youth inclusiveness question, party candidate selection limits and criteria,” said Bell Ihua Chief Executive Officer of NOI Polls.
Serving President Muhammadu Buhari’s rise to power in 2015 spawned huge expectations in Africa’s largest economy, despite his age.
It was the first time an opposition candidate had unseated an incumbent at the ballot box and Buhari, 74, pledged to crack down on rampant corruption and overhaul an inefficient state system.
Buhari’s bounce has since become bust, after the economy entered its first recession in 25 years, while unemployment climbed to a six-year high and misery index towered above 50 points.
Now, halfway through his four-year term, Buhari is struggling to revive growth in an economy that has been hit by a plunge in crude oil revenue and a severe shortage of foreign exchange.
Buhari’s economic policies are said to have exacerbated the crisis, in what looks like a re-hash of policies from his first stint in power back in 1983.
He has fallen out of favour with the people, convinced that the 74 year-old is stuck in his old ways and unwilling to adapt to changing dynamics.
He once likened the naira devaluation to murder, only to approve of it 16 months later, after his reluctance had caused irreparable damage to the economy.
Nigeria’s elections commission announced last month, that the next presidential vote will be held on Feb. 16, 2019.
On national security, Buhari has made progress: Boko Haram, now splintered into two factions, no longer controls any big towns.
When it comes to corruption, a number of bigwigs have been arrested and bags of seized money paraded before the media. Yet there have been no high-profile convictions yet.
It is the troubled economy, though, that looms largest now in Africa’s most populous country.
Specifically, ages 50 years (33 percent) and 40 years (21 percent) constituted the highest precise age preferences cited by Nigerians.
A unique blend of vibrancy, combined with youthful energy and mental alertness, formed the major reasons for the preference showed to this age class. Others who partook in the survey prefer a middle-aged president because of the “new and fresh ideas” such a person is likely to bring.
Furthermore, the poll revealed that 73 percent of Nigerians are willing to support independent candidacy.
In other words, even though there currently isn’t the provision for independent candidacy in the country’s Electoral Act, Nigerians say they would be willing to support individuals who may decide to run for elective positions on their personal strengths, without being affiliated to any political party.
In addition, when asked about what would influence their choice of candidates or political parties in the 2019 elections, almost five in ten Nigerians (49 percent) say they would vote for candidates who have “Integrity”. This was followed by 27 percent and 18 percent who stated that their voting decision would be influenced by “Track record and experience” and “Political agenda or manifesto” respectively.
Finally, the poll sought to examine some of the factors militating against young professionals from participating in politics, and top amongst the factors identified include: Financial constraint (40 percent), Godfatherism and political cabals (23 percent), Lack of experience (15 percent) and lack of political platforms (10 percent).