Tinubu's Allegedly Missing School Certificates in INEC Form Spark Fresh 2027 Election Row
- INEC published Tinubu's 2027 nomination documents listing only his CSU degree, with sections for primary and secondary school qualifications left blank
- Senior lawyers and opposition parties raised questions about the omission, citing constitutional requirements for presidential candidates in Nigeria
- INEC said it does not verify the authenticity of credentials, adding that the publication is meant for public scrutiny under the Electoral Act 2026
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The release of President Bola Tinubu's nomination documents by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 presidential election has reignited a long-running debate over his educational background, after the form showed no primary or secondary school qualifications.
INEC published the credentials on Saturday, showing only Tinubu's Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Chicago State University (CSU), obtained in 1979, alongside his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
Source: Twitter
The spaces designated for primary and secondary school details on the form's summary page were left empty.
By contrast, ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar listed a First School Leaving Certificate from 1954 and a West Africa School Certificate from 1961, as well as a Masters of Arts in International Relations from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020.
NDC candidate Peter Obi listed St. Augustine's Primary School, Anambra (1973), Christ the King College (WASC, 1978), and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1984.
What Lawyers and Parties Said
According to Dailytrust, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mumini Jimoh said a secondary school certificate is a basic constitutional requirement for presidential candidates, though he suggested the blank fields were most likely an administrative error rather than evidence of non-compliance.
Fellow SAN Mohammed Abeni disagreed that the matter should be brushed aside, arguing that the omission "gives room for suspicion, especially for a president that has been dogged by academic controversies."
Constitutional lawyer Danjuma John said Section 318(1) of the Constitution defines "School Certificate or its equivalent" broadly to include SSCE/WAEC, a Grade II Teacher's Certificate, or a Primary Six Certificate combined with relevant work experience.
However, SAN Taiye Oniyide argued the omission carries no legal consequence, saying the university qualification uploaded is "even higher than secondary school" and that any remaining concerns are moral rather than constitutional.
INEC's Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Wilfred Osilama Ifogah, told reporters that authenticating candidates' credentials is not the commission's responsibility. "The publication is done so that the public can scrutinise it," he said, pointing to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Opposition Calls for Explanation
The ADC's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the blank entries made Tinubu appear to be "giving credence to the rumour that he has something to hide." The NDC's National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, called the omission "strange and surprising," noting that primary and secondary school certificates are prerequisites for a university degree.
Atiku, the ADC's presidential candidate, said in a statement through his aide Phrank Shaibu that the omission "goes to the very heart of transparency, credibility and the legitimacy of public office," and called on the Presidency to provide "clear and verifiable answers."
The Labour Party took a different view, with its National Publicity Secretary Ken Asogwa saying there was no legal infraction as long as the Electoral Act does not make the submission of those certificates mandatory.
Efforts to reach presidential aides Bayo Onanuga and Daniel Bwala, as well as APC spokesman Felix Morka, were unsuccessful. The Presidency and the APC had not responded to inquiries at the time of publication.
The controversy echoes the 2023 post-election litigation in which Atiku challenged Tinubu's CSU diploma before the Presidential Election Petition Court and the Supreme Court, both of which dismissed the petition and upheld Tinubu's election.
Source: Twitter
Tinubu dominates APC presidential primary election
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has continued to lead in the APC presidential primary held on Saturday, with results announced from several states across Nigeria showing his strong performance.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos after the exercise, Tinubu described the process as a success.
Source: Legit.ng
