Written By Gerald Gekara 📝
The House of Representatives has passed a bill prohibiting persons without a college diploma from running for president.
Oriyomi Onanuga, the bill’s sponsor, wants to change sections 66, 106, 131, and 171 of the 1999 Constitution.
If passed, the proposed bill will require parliamentarians, governors, and presidents to have a Bachelor’s degree, a Higher National Diploma, Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), or other degree-equivalent certifications.
Candidates for federal and state legislature and governorship positions must have at least a bachelor’s degree.
Several politicians in Nigeria run for office using secondary school or basic school degrees.
Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President and the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the previous general election, presented a Diploma Certificate as his highest qualification.
Mr Abubakar is rumored to be considering a presidential candidacy in 2023.
Mr. Atiku isn’t the only one who hasn’t earned a university diploma or similar. The African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore also provided a Senior Secondary School Certificate, or WAEC, as his greatest qualification.
The House examined the bill’s general principles on Tuesday before passing it for a second reading.
Politicians without a bachelor’s degree will be barred from running if the bill passes.
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