The Nigerian Senate has approved Higher National Diploma (HND) as the minimum qualification for citizens seeking to be president or governors.
The bill which proposed the certificate as the minimum qualification for president and state governors, and Ordinary National Diploma (OND) as the minimum qualification for those contesting for state and federal legislative seats, passed its second reading on Thursday March 12.
President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan sent the bill which is sponsored by Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau) to the Committee on Constitution Review after lawmakers passed the proposed amendment for second reading.
It is expected the bill will alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the amendment of Sections 65 (2) (a), 131 (d), Section 106 (c) and Section 177 (d) on minimum educational qualification for those seeking election as state or federal lawmakers, as well as governors, president and their deputies.
For Presidency and Governorship election, the existing law which the bill seeks to amend states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”.
The amendment 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.
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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 after the senators passed the proposed amendment for second reading.
