Senate upgrades minimum qualification for govs, president

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Senate of Nigeria has upgraded the minimum qualification for anybody seeking to be governor and president in Nigeria to Higher National Diploma(HND), a Bachelors Degree(BSc) or its equivalent.

The Senate upgraded the qualification for political office holders in an ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which prescribes only an attempt at School Leaving Certificate (Even if the attempt yielded F9 in all the subjects) as qualification for both positions.

The review passed for second reading in the Senate. The bill sponsored by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) from Plateau State, Senator Isfifanus Gyang, also prescribes National Diploma or its equivalent as the minimum qualification for federal and state lawmakers.

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The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the amendment of Sections 65 (2) (a), and 131 (d). It will also amend Section 106 (c) and Section 177 (d) on minimum education qualification for those seeking election into the State Assembly, Governor, National Assembly and office of the President.

The bill seeks the alteration of section 65 (2) (a) of the Constitution which provides for at least School Certificate level or its equivalent now substituted with education to at least a National Diploma level or its equivalent.”

The bill also seeks the alteration of Section 131 (d) which deals with minimum requirements for anyone running for the office of the governor.

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The current Section of the Constitution states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”. Section 131 (d) will now read, “He has been educated up to at least HND level or’ its equivalent.”

For House of Assembly, the bill seeks the alteration of section 106 (c) of the Constitution. The existing constitution stipulates that anyone aspiring to be a member of the House of Assembly must have “been educated up to at least the School Certificate level or its equivalent” now upgraed to a National diploma or its equivalent.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has referred the bill to the committee on Constitution Review after the senators passed the proposed amendment for second reading.