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Reps Reject Bill To Change Educational Qualification For President,  Vice, Others 

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By Gloria Ikibah 

The House of Representatives on Tuesday stepped down a bill seeking to change the minimum requirement for the office of President , Vice President, National Assembly members and other political office from first school leaving certificate to degree or its equivalent. 

This was sequel to the passage of a bill sponsored by Rep.  Adewunmi Onanuga on Tuesday at plenary. 

The bill was titled: “A Bill for an Act to Alter the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) to change the Educational Qualification for Elections into Certain Political Offices and for Related Matters”. 

Debating on the general principles of the bill, Onanuga called on the House to look critically into educational qualification of political office holder stating that Nigeria has moved passed school leaving certificate as the minimum requirement to contest political office,  adding that degree or it’s equivalent should be made minimum requirement. 

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Speaking in favour of the bill,  Babajimi Benson from (Lagos state) said: “Anyone who is going to oppose this bill should tell  if his son or daughter is in the university or not. I can’t  believe that in this modern age some people will say don’t go to school but yet go and be the president”. 

Professor Julius Ihonvbare said: “We all know what the world is today. A world were knowledge is power, we see leaders of other nations who make excellent presentation but here we have leaders dodging debate .I don’t think this requirement should apply to all political offices, for local government it might not be required but for President , Vice National Assembly members should be required to own a degree”.

For Rep. Leke Abejide, “The world has moved, Nigeria should not be left behind,  We put a mediocre to head an important political office we will end up in disaster. 

Rep. Alfred Iliah, added that educational qualification  is very important and the bedrock of every society. According to him, qualification of every National Assembly members should be looked into if the country  must make progress.

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Rep. Mustapha Aliyu from (Sokoto ), stated that the amendment was long overdue. He added: “Education is bedrock the development of any society. For those contesting for executive seat should have a degree,  however the jump from leaving school to degree is too wide,  I will propose that there should be middle course”. 

Shetimma lawal from (Borno) said that the requirement for Governance should cut across all level from the highest to the lowest . 

He added: “For politicians we are only providing leadership, political offices should be categorized”. 

Rep. Kingsley Chinda, House Minority Leader, while endorsing the bill, remarked on the declining standard of education, stating that raising educational requirements would motivate Nigerian youth. He emphasized the importance of backing this effort wholeheartedly.

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“Why do we say a primary school holder should be given . We should do the right thing”, he said. 

Speaking against the bill,  Aliyu Madaki from (Kano), said the leadership quality of a political office holder is not determined by your level of education . 

“What ever we are trying to do is for all Nigerians. I have an MBA in Financial Management but restricting other with qualifications will not carry all Nigerians along . All Nigerians should be allowed to participate and exercise their leadership qualities. 

Bashir Sokoto from (Sokoto) said, “We were privilege to go to university,  but we have less privilege Nigerians who cannot afford to go to the university. I propose that we allow minimum requirement for political office holders to remain school cert”. 

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Hon Ahmed Jaha from Borno said passing the bill will negatively affect some section of the country,  he insisted that educational qualification was not a true taste of knowledge. 

 “Qualification alone is not a true taste of knowledge . We are doing laws for good governance and for peace in this country. We will not do laws that will favour only a few number of Nigerians . How many Nigerians are degree holders America that we refer to have done greatly in educating its citizens’s but here in Nigeria how what have we done in improving our education system”, he stated. . 

Also speaking against the bill, Inuwa Garba from (Gombe ) said “the mover of this bill is not aware of what is happening in some part of this country. 

“Some schools in some part of the country have been shot down for a while now. Certificate is not true test of knowledge 

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The bill is discriminatory against some people”. 

The bill was therefore stepped down after a heated debate by the presiding officer Hon Banjamin Kalu.

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Video: Watch moment Senator Manu tasks NAFDAC officials on poor budget presentation

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The Senator representing Taraba Central, Manu Haruna white washed officials of NAFDAC for poor budget presentation during 2025 budget defense on Friday.

In a video, Senator Manu a former Deputy Governor of Taraba State opened the underbelly of NAFDAC on improper presentation of figures in the outlines.

He pointedly told the officials that the presentation was designed to mislead senators.

Watch video below:

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Why I returned N100m excess fund to Kano Govt Commissioner

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The Kano State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Tajo Othman, who was recently in the news for returning N100 million excess fund to the state government, has revealed the reason behind his action.

The commissioner while addressing newsmen in Kano on Friday said his action was influenced by the state governor’s “exemplary leadership style,” adding that in an ideal situation, leaders are always a pace setter for others to follow.

He said he did not expect Governor Kabir Abba Yusuf to reveal the act to the public, but the governor chose to do so during the flag-off of the free uniform distribution to encourage the future generation to be transparent.

He said, “In an ideal governance setting, the leader is a pace setter for others to follow. We have seen the governor’s body language and as such we fall in. That is what exactly happened. it is the wish of the governor that everybody should be as transparent as possible.

“He is a transparent governor and therefore we should be transparent as well. I never expected the governor to go public with it, but I believe the reason behind his announcement is indeed genuine.”

The commissioner added that as the head of the committee for school uniform distribution, the state governor entrusted him with the task and advised the committee to execute it to the best of their ability.

The commissioner who was a retired customs officer was in the news when the Governor Yusuf publicly commended him for returning N100 million in unspent funds from a N2 billion budget earmarked for the production of 798,000 uniforms for pupils of primary 1 in the state.

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Nigerian Online Population Shows Strong Enthusiasm for AI – Report

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A new global survey report from Ipsos and Google has shown widespread use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools among Nigerian online population.

The study, tagged: “Our Life with AI: From Innovation to Application,” surveyed 21,000 people across 21 countries, and observed that global AI usage has jumped to 48 per cent and excitement about its potential now exceeds concerns (57 per cent vs. 43 per cent, up from 50 per cent / 50 per cent last year).

According to the report, in Nigeria, AI adoption and enthusiasm are even higher, as 70 per cent of the Nigerian online population used generative AI, surpassing the 48 per cent global average. Moreover, 87 per cent are excited about AI’s potential and see its benefits outweighing the risks.

Analysing the report, President of Global Affairs, Google & Alphabet, Kent Walker, said: “AI is starting to deliver magic at scale, making people’s lives easier and better. The survey results show the more people use these tools, the more excited they get about the possibilities and about the personal, professional, and scientific breakthroughs on the way.”

The survey results indicate that optimism about AI is growing within the surveyed online community in Nigeria. Key findings from the survey, show that among survey participants in Nigeria, 70 per cent reported using generative AI in the past year, which is significantly higher than the global average of 48 per cent. A substantial 87 per cent of Nigerian respondents feel that AI’s potential benefits outweigh the associated risks, suggesting a strong belief in the positive impact of AI. A significant 81 per cent of surveyed Nigerian adults believe AI will positively change the economy.

Furthermore, 90 per cent of the survey respondents in Nigeria anticipate AI having a positive impact on science and medicine, demonstrating the widespread belief in the potential of AI to drive progress in these sectors.

According to the report, Nigeria’s online population demonstrates a higher level of excitement and adoption of AI when compared to other regions. The survey indicates: Nigeria is among the top countries in terms of AI usage and excitement about its potential.

This contrasts with more cautious sentiment in some European and North American countries.

The report also said the Nigerian online community saw immense potential for AI in science and medical advancements:

“A significant 90 per cent of survey respondents expect AI to have a positive impact on science and medicine. This is one of the highest rates globally, highlighting the strong anticipation of breakthroughs in these fields through AI,” the report said, and onlinerd that the population in Nigeria recognised AI’s potential to enhance personal and professional development:

“Many believe AI can make people’s lives better by boosting productivity and providing access to resources. Within the Nigerian online population surveyed, there is a prevailing sentiment that supports the fostering of AI advancement rather than restrictive regulations. This suggests that those surveyed are keen to embrace innovation,” the report further said.

The survey results highlight the strong enthusiasm and optimism of the surveyed online population in Nigeria about the role of AI in various aspects of life, particularly in the economy, healthcare, and scientific advancement. The findings suggest that Nigeria’s online community is among the most enthusiastic globally about the transformative potential of AI.

Google has been pursuing AI boldly and responsibly for years. In 2018, Google was one of the first companies to establish AI Principles grounded in beneficial use and avoidance of harm. Two years ago, it unveiled its opportunity agenda, which shard concrete recommendations for governments to ensure AI benefits the broadest range of people possible.

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