The House of Representatives on Tuesday made a significant decision to defer a bill that aimed to revise the minimum educational requirement for the positions of President, Vice President, National Assembly members, and other political offices.
The proposed change sought to elevate the requirement from a first school leaving certificate to a degree or its equivalent.
This development followed the passage of a bill presented by Representative Adewunmi Onanuga during the plenary session in Abuja.
Onanuga, in his plea for the bill’s consideration, urged the House to thoroughly examine the educational qualifications of political officeholders.
He emphasized that Nigeria has progressed beyond considering a school leaving certificate as the minimum requirement for aspiring to political office, advocating for a degree or its equivalent as the new baseline.
However, after a heated debate during the plenary, the bill was ultimately set aside.
The presiding officer, Hon Benjamin Kalu, played a crucial role in the decision-making process, leading to the temporary shelving of the proposed changes to the educational qualifications for political officeholders.