Recall that the Nigerian Senate, on thursday, passed for second reading, a constitution amendment bill which prescribes Higher National Diploma or its equivalent as the educational qualification required for anyone seeking to contest the office of the Nigerian President or state governors.
The bill sponsored by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party from Plateau State, Senator Isfifanus Gyang, also prescribes National Diploma or its equivalent as the minimum qualification for federal and state lawmakers.
The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the amendment of Sections 65 (2) (a), and 131 (d).
It will also amend Section 106 (c) and Section 177 (d) on minimum education qualification for those seeking election into the State Assembly, Governor, National Assembly and office of the President.
The bill seeks the alteration of section 65 (2) (a) of the Constitution which deals with the qualifications for intending members of the National Assembly
The current law, which the bill seeks to amend reads, “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.”
Section 65 (2) (a) has now been rephrased to read “if he has been educated to at least a National Diploma level or its equivalent.”
The bill also seeks the alteration of Section 131 (d) which deals with minimum requirements for anyone running for the office of the governor.
The current Section of the Constitution states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”.
Section 131 (d) 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.
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.
If finally amended and passed into Law, it will automatically disqualify the People’s Democratic Party Presidencial Candidate in the 2019 general elections, Alh. Atiku Abubakar who only known qualification that is open to the public is that, the he received admission to study at the School of Hygiene, Kano in 1966. In 1967, he graduated with a diploma. That same year, Atiku Abubakar was admitted for a Law Diploma at Ahmadu Bello University on a scholarship. He graduated in 1969 and was employed by Nigeria Customs Service that same year.
And from the Customs service, he joined politics.
There is no known record that after his Diploma, that the dogged politician had any other academic records but, if any, it is unknown to newsmirrorng.com.
If this aspect of the amendment becomes law, the tutored TAMBUWAL – WIKE Presidencial ticket has become an automatic walk over for the PDP primary except there are last minute changes.
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