Shehu Sani: A Secondary School Certificate is Enough for Political Office

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has sparked debate by stating that a secondary school certificate is all a politician needs to contest elections or secure a political appointment in Nigeria. Sani made this comment in response to a recent investigative report by Premium Times, which revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate of Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji.

According to court documents, Nnaji did not complete his studies at the University of Nigeria and was never issued a degree certificate. Despite this, the minister had claimed to possess a Bachelor of Science degree from the institution. The University of Nigeria has since demanded that Nnaji return his certificate, which he allegedly obtained through questionable means.

Reacting to the development, Sani cautioned politicians against making false claims about their academic qualifications. He noted that in the realm of politics, unearned qualifications can easily be exposed by opponents. “All you need to contest elections or for political appointment is a secondary school certificate,” Sani said. “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”.

Sani’s comment highlights the need for transparency and honesty in politics. While a secondary school certificate may be sufficient for political office, making false claims about one’s qualifications can damage credibility and lead to trouble. As the case of Minister Nnaji shows, the consequences of such actions can be severe .