Nigeria’s House of Representatives has passed for second reading, a Bill seeking to raise educational qualifications for people seeking to be President and Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor, Federal and State Legislators in the country.The document titled: ‘A Bill for an Act to Review the Qualifications for Certain Political Offices and For Related Matters’ is being sponsored by Omowumi Onanuga (APC, Ogun).
Presenting the general principles of the Bill, the sponsor said that the new legislation is not targeted at stifling interest of Nigerians in politics.
Onanuga said that the race for political offices in Nigeria has become very “fierce and intense,” due largely to low qualifications for such offices.
“If passed, the Bill will place more value for political offices. Offices affected by this Act are very strategic, with high influence in nature”, she said.
Onanuga argued that the proposed legislation will also place more value for the offices of President, Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governors and other political offices in the country.
“If a managing director of a company is required to possess a university degree, the occupant of a political office is also required to possess requisite qualifications.”
The House, presided over by Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, unanimously adopted the Bill through a voice vote and passed it for second reading.
