Senate wants Higher National Diploma as minimum qualification for President, Governors

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday proposed a bill to make  Higher National Diploma (HND) as the minimum qualification for citizens seeking to be President or Governors, as well as Ordinary National Diploma (OND) the minimum qualification for contesting for State and Federal legislative seats. in the country.

Penpushing reports that, the bills which passed second reading was sponsored by Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau), is one of the ten constitutional amendment bills read for the second time, and were referred to the Senate committee on constitution review for further legislative work.

The bill seeks to 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.

Penpushing further reports that, the proposed amendments,emphasized that  those seeking to be President, Governors, Senators, members of the House of Representatives and members of State Houses of Assembly, must possess new minimum educational qualifications.

The part of the proposed amendments bills reads, “the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (in this Bill referred to as “the Principal Act”) is altered as set out in the Bill’, while it also seek the alteration of section 65 (2) (a) of the Constitution which deals with the qualifications for intending members of the National Assembly.

“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’,the existing law which the bill seeks to amend reads, while the  Section 65 (2) (a) is now rephrased to read “if he has been educated to at least National Diploma level or its equivalent.”

Penpushing also reports that, the bill equally  seeks to alter Section 131(d) which states that a presidential candidate and the deputy must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”, and the amendment is now rephrased to read: “He has been educated up to at least HND level or’ its equivalent.”

The bill on the House of Assembly, seeks the alteration of section 106 (c) of the Constitution,while  the existing law, says 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”, and the  rephrased to read: “If he has been educated up to National Diploma level or its equivalent.”

Penpushing reports that, in regards the  Governorship candidates, the bill seeks the alteration of section 177 (d) of the Constitution which currently states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent’, while  it is now rephrased to read: “If he has been educated up to at least Higher National Diploma Level or its equivalent.”