You Don’t Need a Degree to Hold Political Office — Shehu Sani Declares

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has stated that possessing a secondary school certificate is sufficient qualification for anyone seeking to contest elections or hold political office in Nigeria.

Sani made this known on Monday while reacting to the ongoing controversy surrounding the academic credentials of Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.

An investigative report by Premium Times revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate allegedly held by Nnaji. According to the institution, the minister neither completed his studies nor was issued a degree certificate.

Court documents presented before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja also showed that Nnaji admitted UNN never awarded him any degree. The embattled minister has since taken legal action against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the university, and several of its officials.

While the court granted some of his prayers, including the release of his academic transcript, it declined to restrain the defendants. The case was adjourned for further hearing.

Reacting via his X handle, Shehu Sani advised politicians and aspirants to avoid falsifying academic qualifications, warning that such actions often lead to unnecessary public scandals.

“All you need to contest elections or for political appointment is a secondary school certificate,” Sani wrote. “There is no way in the realm of politics one can claim any unearned qualifications without opponents digging into the matter. Some troubles are unnecessarily self-inflicted.”

His remarks have since sparked discussions online, with many Nigerians debating whether higher education should be a requirement for public office holders.