Court - Graduates Without NYSC certificate Can Contest For Governorship election

A High Court sitting in Abuja has ruled that graduates who did not participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme are eligible to run for governorship election.

This was ruled by Justice M.A Mohammed in a pre-election suit filed by Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, challenging the eligibility of Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, contesting the state governorship election.

Abiodun in his CFOO1 form submitted to INEC last year, indicated he did not have NYSC discharge certificate. Abiodun did not participate in the compulsory NYSC program, even though he finished his first degree in 1986.

Anisulowo had asked the court to disqualify Abiodun as the APC governorship candidate since he failed to participate in the mandatory NYSC scheme.

At the hearing of the case yesterday June 26th, Wale Ajayi, the governor’s counsel, requested that the court set aside the case, since it was never stated that the participation in the NYSC scheme was a criterion to hold public office.


Delivering judgement, Justice Mohammed held that the NYSC Act does not make provision for the disqualification of a candidate who failed to participate in its scheme. He said that a candidate can only be disqualified under Section 177 of the constitution which states that

“a person should be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if and only if:

1. He is a citizen of Nigeria by birth;
2. He has attained the age of thirty-five years;
3. He is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and
4. He has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”