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Senate Proposes HND as Minimum Qualification for President, Govs

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A bill that proposes Higher National Diploma (HND) as the minimum qualification for citizens seeking to be president or governors, passed second reading on Thursday.

The bill also seeks to make the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) the minimum qualification for contesting for state and federal legislative seats.

The bill, sponsored by Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau), is one of the ten constitutional amendment bills read for the second time Thursday. The bills were referred to the Senate committee on constitution review for further legislative work.

The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the amendment of Sections 65 (2) (a), 131 (d), Section 106 (c) and Section 177 (d) on minimum educational qualification for those seeking election as state or federal lawmakers, as well as governors, president and their deputies.

In the proposed amendments, those seeking to be president, governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and members of State Houses of Assembly, must possess new minimum educational qualifications.

“The Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (in this Bill referred to as “the Principal Act”) is altered as set out in the Bill,” part of the proposed amendments reads.

The bill is seeking the alteration of section 65 (2) (a) of the Constitution which deals with the qualifications for intending members of the National Assembly.

The existing law which the bill seeks to amend reads: “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.

Section 65 (2) (a) is now rephrased to read “if he has been educated to at least National Diploma level or its equivalent.”

The bill also seeks to alter Section 131(d) which states that a presidential candidate and the deputy must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”

The amendment is now rephrased to read: “He has been educated up to at least HND level or’ its equivalent.”

For House of Assembly, the bill seeks the alteration of section 106 (c) of the Constitution.

According to the existing law, anyone aspiring to be a member of the House of Assembly must have “been educated up to at least the School Certificate level or its equivalent.”

It is, however, now rephrased to read: “If he has been educated up to National Diploma level or its equivalent.”

For governorship candidates, the bill seeks the alteration of section 177 (d) of the Constitution which currently states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”

It is now rephrased to read: “If he has been educated up to at least Higher National Diploma Level or its equivalent.”

More amendment bills

Other constitutional amendment bills referred to the committee are;

*A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to specify the period within which the President or Governor of a State presents the Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly of House of Assembly.

It is sponsored by Bamidele Opeyemi.

*A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the establishment of State Police and to ensure effective community policing in Nigeria.

It is sponsored by Ajibola Bashiru.

* A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to amend Section 138(d) and Section 139 of the Electoral Act 2010 by deleting Section 138 (d) and adding a new Subsection (3) to Section 139, to reduce the unlawful exclusion of a political party Logo on a Ballot Paper, a pre-election matter.

It is sponsored by Istifanus Gyang.

*A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to replace the name “Nigeria Police Force” with ”Nigerian Police” to reflect their core mandate of providing Civil Services.

It is sponsored by Opeyemi Bamidele.

* A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to amend Section 81 to make provisions for amount standing to the credit of Security Agencies in the Consolidated Revenue Fund to be on First Line Charge.

It is sponsored by Ibrahim Gobir.

* A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to preclude the establishment of separate Tribunals to hear and determine Pre-election matters and Election petitions respectively, in the Presidential, National and state Houses of Assembly and Govemorship elections.

It is sponsored by Ovie Omo-Agege.

* A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to give recognition to the Six Geo-political Zones and to further introduce a clear demarcation by creating the Federal and State legislative list as a substitute for the existing legislative lists.

It is ponsored by Adeola Olamilekan.

* A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to qualify criminal liability for certain public officers under Section 308.

It is sponsored by Ovie Omo-Agege.

* A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for establishment of State Police.

It is sponsored by Ike Ekweremadu.

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Donald Trump Sworn in As 47th American President, Pledges Swift Border Crackdown

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Donald Trump has pledged to rescue America from what he described as years of betrayal and decline after he was sworn in as president on Monday, prioritizing a crackdown on illegal immigration and portraying himself as a national savior chosen by God.
“For American citizens, January 20, 2025, is Liberation Day,” Trump, 78, said inside the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, the symbol of U.S. democracy that was invaded on Jan. 6, 2021, by a mob of Trump supporters intent on reversing his 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden.
The half-hour speech echoed some of the themes he sounded at his first inauguration in 2017, when he spoke of the “American carnage” of crime and job loss that he said had ravaged the country.
The inauguration completes a triumphant return for a political disruptor who was twice impeached, survived two assassination attempts, was convicted in a criminal trial and faced charges for attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss. He is the first president in more then a century to win a second term after losing the White House.
“I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said, referring to the assassin’s bullet that grazed his ear in July.
Trump is the first felon to serve as president after a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records to cover up hush money paid to a porn star.
“Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback,” he said. “I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that something is impossible to do in America. The impossible is what we do best.”
While Trump sought to portray himself as a peacemaker and unifier, his speech was often sharply partisan. He repeated false claims from his campaign that other countries were emptying their prisons into America and voiced familiar and unfounded grievances over his criminal prosecutions.
With Biden seated nearby, affecting a polite smile, Trump issued a stinging indictment of his predecessor’s policies from immigration to foreign affairs and outlined a raft of executive actions aimed at blocking border crossings, ending federal diversity programs and overhauling international trade.
Source: Reuters
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Hamas Releases Israeli Hostages As Ceasefire Agreement Comes into Effect

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The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.

The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.

In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.

Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.

Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.

One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.

Source: CNN

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Again, Kemi Badenoch Lashes Out at Nigeria Says Country’s ‘Dream Killer’

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The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”

Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.

“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.

“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.

“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.

“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.

“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”

Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.

She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.

She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.

“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”

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