The bill seeking to amend the academic qualification for intending politicians who to seek elections into the office of President and Governors, and other elective offices, on Tuesday passed its second reading at the House of Representatives
The bill, sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Adewunmi Onanuga, which is seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution and raise the qualification from school certificate to degree or its equivalent. passed first reading on Tuesday last week and second reading this week,
Titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Cap. C23 Laws of the Federation 2004, to Review the Required Educational Qualification for Election into Certain Political Offices; and for Related Matters,’ the sponsor noted,‘This bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Cap. C23 Laws of the Federation 2004, to review the required educational qualification for election into certain political offices.’
The bill seeks to alter Sections 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the Constitution.
Hon. Onanuga, who led in the debate on the bill which aseeks to alter Section 106 and 177 of the nation’s constitution, stated that her belief that the proposal, if it becomes law, would “among other things, place more value on education in our nation and its importance when considering politics.”
“This is not a bill targeted at stifling the interest of Nigerians in politics, rather it is a bill that will help Nigerians to sufficiently prepare for the humongous task of political leadership.
“As we have begun to see, the race for elective offices at the state and national levels has become increasingly competitive. While this is good as a tenet of universal suffrage, it can also be counterproductive if people who are not sufficiently prepared educationally get into these elective offices.
“All the political offices affected by this amendment are very strategic in their own right. The state legislators are important for making laws to govern the state in the interest of the people. The office of the governor is the highest political office in the state. The federal legislators are important for making laws in the interest of the nation. The office of the president is the highest political office in the land.
“If a managing director who holds an equally strategic position in a company within this country cannot be employed without a university degree or its equivalent, why should the above political offices be held by people without a university degree or its equivalent?”
Onanuga added, “We all know that after a university degree or its equivalent in this country, comes the compulsory National Youth Service Corps, without which it would be difficult to get into any employment especially within the public sector.
“Invariably, by leaving the qualification of these political offices to remain at School Certificate level, we are implying that the NYSC is not a requirement to hold political offices but it is a requirement to secure a job in the Public Sector.” She argued, stressing that studying up to a university degree anywhere in the world would have afforded any individual certain other knowledge, skills and preparedness that cannot be gotten at a School Certificate level.
Backing the bill, Deputy Speaker, Hon Wase, who noted that the intent of the bill was clear, approved its passage for second reading to voice vote, even as it was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.
