The bill seeking to amend sections 65 (2) (a), 131 (d) and section 106 (c) and section 177 (d) on minimum education qualification for those seeking political offices in Nigeria, has on Thursday, scaled second reading in the Senate.

The amendment bill which prescribes Higher National Diploma or its equivalent as the educational qualification requirement for anyone contesting for the office of the president or governor was sponsored by Senator Isfifanus Gyang, (PDP) Plateau State.

The bill also stipulated National Diploma for or its equivalent for those contesting for a seat in the state and federal legislature.

According to Punch, each of the sections of the constitution on education qualification for the major public offices in Nigeria was reviewed. The section 65 (2) (a) which is about the education qualification of federal lawmakers reads thus: “A person shall be qualified for election under subsection (1) of this section if he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”

The bill seeking to amend it reads: “If he has been educated to at least a National Diploma level or its equivalent.”

For the office of the governor, the bill is seeking to amend the current qualification requirement of School Certificate level or its equivalent. Section 131 (d) now reads as rephrased: “He has been educated up to at least HND level or its equivalent.” The current phrase reads: “He must have been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”

For the education qualification requirement for those seeking to join the National Assembly or State Assembly, section 106 (6) of the constitution was reviewed. The current law states that anyone who wishes to become a member of the House of Assembly must have a School Certificate level or its equivalent.

But the bill has altered the section to prescribe National Diploma as a requirement. The rephrase now reads: “If he has been educated up to National Diploma or its equivalent.”

The same education qualification applies to the office of the governor. Section 177 (d) states that whoever is running for the office of the governor must possess at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. The bill is seeking to amend it to: “If he has been educated up to at least Higher National Diploma Level or its equivalent.”

Upon scaling this reading, the bill has been passed to the Committee of Constitution Review by the Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

In 2019, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that the President does not need a certificate to hold office.

The Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has taken the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari to court for lacking the qualification to contest for the office of the president due to his lack of certificate. The ruling of the Apex court therefore exposed what critics described as “vacuum in the constitution” and “mockery of public offices in Nigeria.”

Buhari had contested the presidential election using a senior school certificate, which compared to other countries was said to be far below par. However, the Supreme Court reached its verdict based on what Nigeria’s constitution says.

“The law is well settled and the case-law is crystalized on the point that the 2nd respondent (Buhari) cannot go beyond provisions of sections 131 and 131 (8) of the 1999 constitution.

The case-law is replete with decisions of this court on the subject. We cannot amend the constitution. We need to make it clear at this point that the constitution and laws of the land do not expect any certificate to be tendered or attached,” Buhari’s legal counsel Wole Olanipekun said during the judgment.

The Supreme Court has ruled that aspirants to the position of president need only to have primary or secondary schools education and should have been in the public service for 10 years and attended training, has the ability to read and write in English language. It was based on this interpretation that the certificate saga was laid to rest.

But then, it became a cause for concern to Nigerians, especially opposition political parties. The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) said the Supreme Court judgment returned Nigeria and the electoral process to the dark ages.

“Our nation’s democracy and the electoral process have been set back to the dark ages… indeed; the court has held that seeking the highest office in the land requires the least possible qualification in the land. How absurd”?

The disappointment and heavy backlash that stemmed from the Apex court’s ruling propelled the lawmakers to seek the amendment of the sections of the constitution that enabled political office aspirants to contest with the least educational qualification.

However, Nigerians are worried that President Buhari will likely decline to assent to the bill.

The world of sports is gradually coming to a halt due to the spread of coronavirus. The impact is forcing the suspension of sports activities along other events that functions through large gatherings.

The Union of European Football Association (UEFA) has announced that the Champions League and the Europa League may be suspended in an effort to curtail the spread of the virus. UEFA made the announcement on Thursday as concern over the welfare of fans and footballers heightened in Europe.

“In the light of the ongoing development in the spread of COVID-19 across Europe and the changing analysis of the World Health Organization, UEFA has today invited representatives of its 55 member associations, together with the boards of the European Club Association and the European Leagues and a representative of FIFPro, to attend meetings by videoconference on Tuesday 17 March to discuss European football’s response to the outbreak.

“Discussions will include all domestic and European competitions, including UEFA EURO 2020. Further communication will be made following those meetings,” the statement from UEFA said on Thursday.

The WHO has published further findings about the coronavirus that require further precautionary measures, especially from those in the sports business. Scientists now believe that coronavirus can survive in the air for three hours, and it can stay alive on copper for four hours, and 24 hours on cardboard and 72 hours on plastic and steel.

The recent finding puts the entire world of athleticism in an impossible position following the number of athletics who have been confirmed positive since the past two days.

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani tested positive on Wednesday, Sampdoria also announced that Manolo Gabbiadini has been confirmed positive on Thursday. In Madrid, one of the club’s basketball players has also tested positive and the entire squad has been placed in two weeks isolation. The Champions League match between Real Madrid and Manchester City has been suspended for two weeks.

For the first time since World War II, Italy imposed restriction on the movement of its citizens. The country is the second most badly hit by the COVID-19 after China, forcing the government to place public activities on hold. Italians are urged to stay at home and the Serie A and Serie B have been indefinitely called off.

The Spanish first and second division leagues have been postponed for two weeks while the Champions’ League match between Barcelona and Napoli will likely be called off. The earlier decision has been to play the match behind closed doors, but the recent development is presenting an inevitable choice of postponement that UEFA may likely accept.

Meanwhile, both the Dutch Eredivisie and the Portuguese have both been suspended while the Ireland Football Association has announced the all football matches under its jurisdiction have been placed on hold until March 29.

French and German games will be played this weekend without fans. The English Premiership seems to be the only league in Europe that has not been entirely disrupted. But the Football Association announced on Wednesday that the game between Arsenal and Manchester City has been postponed as a precautionary measure.

In the US, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has suspended the league for the rest of the season as the number of cases and deaths keep rising.

Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix has been canceled after a member of the McLaren team tested positive and the boxing match between Shakur Stevenson and Michael Conlan’s has been forced behind closed doors.

With 133,181 cases and 4,950 deaths, the WHO has declared the outbreak a pandemic and discourages gathering of large crowds as a proactive measure to contain the surge.

Therefore, the UEFA meeting will likely result in suspension of the Champions League and Europa League, following the steps of other sports bodies around the world. Most cities in affected countries are banning the gathering of 500 people and above. The New York City Governor Cuomo has announced that the state is adopting that approach, which will make it impossible for sports activities to hold with spectators.

Sports analysts are calling for league bodies in Europe to call sporting events off, especially in the face of defiant attitude by the British government. Sports analyst Piers Morgan hit out at the British government on Thursday for allowing large gatherings to continue and sports events to continue.

“Britain is not closing schools, banning sports events, or stopping any large public gatherings. Little difference between the ‘contain’ & ‘delay’ phase,” he tweeted. “Yet so many other countries are doing all those things, including Ireland as from tonight. Why the contrary advice”?