2023 Presidential Election. The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the head of state and head of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The president of Nigeria is also the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The president is elected in national elections which take place every four years.
The position of the president of the republic of Nigeria is a very sensitive position and we should think wisely before nominating anyone for that position and those interested in contesting for the position of the president of Nigeria should be prepared and ready to do what comes with been the leader of a particular nation. Leadership is to serve and not to be served. These are the eligibility criteria for contesting for the position of the President of Nigeria;
Eligibility
Chapter VI, Part I, Section 131 of the constitution states that a person may be qualified for election of the office of the president if:[36]
- They are a citizen of Nigeria by birth;
- They have attained the age of 35 years;
- They are a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party;
- They have been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.
A person who meets the above qualifications is still disqualified from holding the office of the president if:
- They have voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria (except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly) or they have made a declaration of allegiance to such other country;
- They have been elected to such office at any two previous elections;
- under the law in any part of Nigeria, They are adjudged to be a lunatic or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind;
- They are under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud or for any other offence, imposed on them by any court or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on them by such a court of tribunal;
- within a period of less than ten years before the date of the election to the office of President they have been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or they have been found guilty of the contravention of the Code of Conduct;
- They are an undischarged bankrupt, having been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force in Nigeria or any other country;
- being a person employed in the civil or public service of the Federation or of any State, they have not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days before the date of the election; or
- They are a member of any secret society;
- They have been indicted for embezzlement or fraud by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry or an Administrative Panel of Inquiry or a Tribunal set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, a Tribunals of Inquiry law or any other law by the federal or state government which indictment has been accepted by the federal or state government respectively;
- They have presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
