An important development has emerged from the Nigerian Senate as it has given its approval for Higher National Diploma (HND) to be the minimum qualification for citizens seeking to hold the positions of president or governor.
Following a second reading on Thursday, March 12, the bill proposing HND as the minimum qualification for president and state governors and Ordinary National Diploma (OND) for those contesting for state and federal legislative seats, was passed.
The bill, sponsored by Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau), was sent by the President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee on Constitution Review following the lawmakers’ approval of the proposed amendment.
The bill is expected to result in an alteration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, specifically amending Sections 65 (2) (a), 131 (d), Section 106 (c), and Section 177 (d). These amendments would stipulate the minimum educational qualification for those seeking election as state or federal lawmakers, governors, president, and their deputies.
Previously, the existing law for Presidency and Governorship election required the candidate to have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.” This will now be revised to state that the candidate must have “been educated up to at least HND level or its equivalent.”
For members of the National Assembly, the existing law stated that “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.” This will now be rephrased to require that the candidate must have been educated “to at least National Diploma level or its equivalent.”