Senate mulls new academic qualification for eligibility to hold office

President, govs must possess HND, lawmakers to possess OND

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Persons wishing to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria may henceforth need to have a minimum educational qualification of Higher National Diploma (HND).

Likewise, aspirants for governorship positions may be mandated to have a minimum of HND while lawmakers in federal and state legislative houses need to have minimum of Ordinary Diploma (OND) to contest election.

These minimum qualifications will be enforced if a bill seeking to alter the constitution to pave way new minimum qualification is passed by the National Assembly.

The bill which scaled second reading on the floor of the Senate on Thursday is for an Act “to alter the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the amendment of Sections 65 (2) (a) 131 (d), 106 (c) and 177 (d), therein, to provide for minimum qualification for election into the National and States Assembly, Office of the President and Governors, and other related matters.”

Sections 106 (c) and Section 177 (d) deals with minimum education qualification for those seeking election into the State Assembly, Governor, National Assembly and office of the President while section 65 (2) (a) of the Constitution deals with the qualifications for intending members of the National Assembly.

The current law which the bill seeks to amend reads: “A person shall be qualified for election under subsection (1) of this section if he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.

Section 65 (2) (a) has now been rephrased to read “if he has been educated to at least 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.

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) is now rephrased to 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.

According to the existing law, 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.”

But Section 106 (c) is now rephrased to read: “If he has been educated up to National diploma level or its equivalent.”

The bill seeks the alteration of section 177 (d) of the Constitution for governors.

As it is currently, the Section states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”

However, Section 177 (d) is now rephrased to read: “If he has been educated up to at least Higher National Diploma Level or its equivalent.”

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, referred the bill to the Committee on Constitution Review.