Certificate

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said that all a politician needs to contest elections or secure a political appointment in the country is a secondary school certificate. Sani made the comment on Monday following an investigative report by Premium Times, 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, saying the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never issued a certificate. Citing court documents filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the report claimed that Nnaji also admitted that UNN never issued him a degree certificate. It said the minister instituted a suit against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the University of Nigeria, its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, the Registrar, a former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oguejiofor Ujam, and the university’s Senate. The court granted three of Nnaji’s prayers, including an order compelling the university and its officials to release his academic transcript, but declined to issue an injunction against the defendants. The case was, however, adjourned to October 6 for further hearing. Reacting to the development in a post via his X handle on Monday, Sani cautioned political office seekers against making false claims about their academic qualifications. 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.”