Atiku Criticizes Tinubu’s Age Limit Policy for University Admissions

Former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has condemned the new age limit policy for university admissions imposed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He describes the policy as outdated, unconstitutional, and detrimental to academic advancement.

Atiku opposed the policy, which restricts university admission to students who are at least 18 years old, arguing that it undermines intellectual freedom and disregards the needs of gifted students.

In a statement shared on his official X account on Wednesday, Atiku criticized the policy as archaic and in need of repeal.

“Tinubu’s policy on age limit for tertiary education admission belongs in the Stone Ages,” the former Vice President asserted.

He denounced the Federal Ministry of Education’s recent policy setting age limits for university entry as absurd and counterproductive to scholarly pursuits.

“The policy violates the principles of federalism, giving a clear impression of the Tinubu administration as directionless,” Atiku added. “How is such an anti-scholarship regulation the next logical step in addressing our educational system’s challenges?”

He emphasized that the Nigerian constitution places education on the concurrent list, giving sub-national governments a larger role than the federal government. Thus, he argues, it is unconstitutional for the federal government to impose such legislation unilaterally.

Atiku highlighted that globally, the best practice is for sub-national governments to set their own educational policies. He expressed dismay that the government, while announcing this policy, admitted it had no plans to accommodate exceptionally talented students, which he views as an affront to Nigeria’s intellectual community.

“Instead of implementing restrictive measures, the federal government should focus on creating mechanisms to identify and support gifted students regardless of their age,” Atiku concluded. “This policy is outdated and should be widely condemned by all who value intellectual freedom and accessibility.”