The House of Representatives has received a bill seeking to raise the academic qualification for the seats of President of Nigeria, governor and other elective public offices to university degree or its equivalent.

A bill sponsored by the lawmaker representing the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Adewunmi Onanuga, is seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution and raise the qualification from school certificate to degree.

The legislation, which passed first reading on Tuesday, is 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 explanatory memorandum on the legislation read, “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 specifically seeks to alter sections 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the Constitution.

The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, had recently called for higher academic qualification for politicians seeking election into public offices in Nigeria.

Gbajabiamila stated that the current constitutional provision, where the academic qualification for elective offices was pegged at secondary school certificate, should be reviewed.

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The Speaker made the submission on January 17, 2022, in a paper titled, ‘Building Back Better: Creating a New Framework for Tertiary Education in Nigeria in the 21st Century’, which he delivered at the 52nd convocation of the University of Lagos.

He had said, “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.

“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.”