Nigerian senate approves HND as minimum qualification for president and governors

The Nigerian Senate has approved Higher National Diploma (HND) as the minimum qualification for citizens seeking to be president or governors. 

The bill which proposed the certificate as the minimum qualification for president and state governors, and Ordinary National Diploma (OND) as the minimum qualification for those contesting for state and federal legislative seats, passed its second reading on Thursday March 12. 

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan sent the bill which is sponsored by Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau) to the Committee on Constitution Review after lawmakers passed the proposed amendment for second reading.

It is expected the bill will alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the amendment of Sections 65 (2) (a), 131 (d), Section 106 (c) and Section 177 (d) on minimum educational qualification for those seeking election as state or federal lawmakers, as well as governors, president and their deputies.

For Presidency and Governorship election, the existing law which the bill seeks to amend states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”.

The amendment is now rephrased to read: “He has been educated up to at least HND level or’ its equivalent.”

For members of the National Assembly, the existing law 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.

It will now be rephrased to read “if he has been educated to at least National Diploma level or its equivalent.”