Sowore, Atiku, other politicians at stake as Reps plan to set varsity degree as minimum qualification
NEWS DIGEST – The Nigerian House of Representatives has passed the second reading of the bill to stop Nigerians who are not having varsity degrees and other equivalent degrees from contesting for the presidential seat.
On Tuesday, the legislative arm had debated the public principle of the bill and passed it for second reading which was afterwards sent to the Committee on Constitution Amendment.
A legislative member, Oriyomi Onanuga, who is sponsoring the bill aims to correct sections 66, 106, 131 and 171 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The bill is aimed at ensuring that, any politician with the interest to contest for either federal or state legislature and governorship seats will need a minimum of a university degree.
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Once the proposed bill is passed, it implies that every lawmaker, gubernatorial and presidential aspirants must have at least qualification of a Bachelor degree, a Higher National Diploma, Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA); and or other degree equal certificates.
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, in the 2019 presidential election presented a Senior Secondary School Certificate, WAEC, as his highest educational qualification.
Also, Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former Vice President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party who is also speculated to be interested in the 2023 presidential race, had at the 2019 general election presented a Diploma Certificate as his highest educational qualification.
It is widely known that many politicians in Nigeria do not possess more than a primary or secondary school certificate to run for office.
Meanwhile, if this bill to increase the minimum educational qualification of public office seekers from Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent is passed, politicians without degree qualifications will be disqualified from contesting.
