Secondary school graduates should be prevented from becoming president – Speaker Gbajabiamila

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that secondary school graduates should no longer be allowed to run for president in Nigeria.

He stated this at the 52nd convocation of the University of Lagos on Monday, January 17, 2022.

Gbajabiamila urged the National Assembly to review the Nigerian Constitution to achieve the purpose.

He said; “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.

“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”.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari’s educational qualifications have been a national issue. There were concerns he did not have the minimum educational requirement to run for president.

However, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) presented Buhari with his WASSCE certificate in 2018.