Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has called for a review of the country’s laws to prevent secondary school graduates from aspiring for President or lawmakers.
According to a Nigerian website Correctng.com, he proposed this at the 52nd convocation of the University of Lagos on Monday, January 17.
In his view, the time is due for the National Assembly to tighten the Nigerian Constitution to ensure that only people with higher educational qualifications are eligible to run for either president or become lawmakers.
“As we have reduced the age for eligibility to contest those offices, so also, we should increase the minimum educational requirement. It will be another step in reforming our electoral system and providing strong leadership for the country.
“I also sincerely believe that the National Assembly needs to look into section 131 (d) of the 1999 constitution with a view to increasing the minimum educational qualification for persons aspiring to be future presidents of Nigeria and other top offices, including the National Assembly as against the current minimum requirement of a Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent,” Gbajabiamila is quoted as having said.
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It appears high educational qualification is a deal-breaker in Nigerian politics.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s educational qualifications became topical some time ago before the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) presented him with his WASSCE certificate in 2018.
It is unclear if there is any correlation between good governance which most African countries lack and high educational qualification. Some African countries have had doctorate holders as presidents but they hardly made any difference.
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