Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has stated that a secondary school certificate is all that is required for a politician to run for office in the country.
Sani made the comment on Monday in response to Premium Times’ investigation, which revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate in the possession of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, claiming the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never issued a certificate.
The newspaper cited court documents submitted before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja as evidence that Nnaji also conceded that UNN never granted him a degree diploma.
It stated that the minister filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the University of Nigeria, its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, the Registrar, a previous Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oguejiofor Ujam, and the university’s Senate.
The court granted three of Nnaji’s requests, including an order ordering the university and its authorities to provide his academic transcript, but rejected imposing an injunction on the defendants.
The matter, however, was postponed until October 6 for further proceedings.
In a message on Monday via his X handle, Sani urged political candidates against making false claims about their academic credentials.
He wrote, “All you need to contest elections or for political appointment is a secondary school certificate. There is no way in the realm of politics one can claim any unearned qualifications without his or her political opponents digging into the matter. Some troubles are unnecessarily self-inflicted.”
