Secondary School Certificate: All That’s Needed for Political Office – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has stated that possessing a secondary school certificate is enough for anyone aspiring to contest elections or hold political appointments in Nigeria.

Sani made the remark on Monday in reaction to an investigative report by Premium Times which revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate presented by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji. The institution said the minister neither completed his studies nor was issued a degree.

According to court documents before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nnaji admitted that UNN never awarded him a degree certificate. He subsequently filed a suit against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, 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 his requests, including compelling the university to release his academic transcript, but rejected his plea for an injunction against the defendants. The case was adjourned to October 6 for further hearing.

Reacting via his X handle, Sani warned politicians against falsifying their academic credentials, stressing that opponents would always uncover such claims. He noted, “All you need to contest elections or for political appointment is a secondary school certificate. Some troubles are unnecessarily self-inflicted.”