(Alwan Hassan. Photo by Daily Post)
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Alwan Hassan, has dismissed the growing controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s academic credentials, insisting that the opposition has no constitutional basis to challenge the president’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Hassan made the remarks during an interview on a television programme on Monday, reacting to the renewed debate triggered by the publication of presidential candidates’ credentials by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
According to the APC stalwart, the Nigerian Constitution does not require a university degree for anyone to contest the office of president, arguing that the law only requires possession of a school certificate or its equivalent, and that the ability to read and write satisfies that requirement.
He maintained that critics of the president were merely attempting to manufacture a controversy where none exists.
Defending his position further, Hassan argued that academic qualifications alone do not determine leadership capacity or success, citing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who famously dropped out of Harvard University before becoming one of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs, to support his point that competence and performance should matter more than educational credentials in assessing political leaders.
He argued that the opposition lacked any substantive grounds to challenge the president.
Hassan also defended Tinubu’s record in office, arguing that the administration had achieved significant milestones within a relatively short period, claiming that Tinubu had accomplished more in under four years than some previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan. He further argued that Peter Obi’s University degree, had not produced any significant national transformation.
He insisted that critics should focus on evaluating the president’s performance rather than attempting to discredit him through debates over his academic background.
Responding to allegations surrounding Tinubu’s university credentials, Hassan maintained that the claims lack factual basis, arguing that Chicago State University has never declared the president’s certificate to be fake and describing the allegations as politically motivated.
The comments come amid renewed public scrutiny of the academic documents submitted by President Tinubu to INEC for the 2027 presidential election.
The release of candidates’ credentials by the electoral commission has reignited debate over the educational qualifications of several presidential hopefuls, with Tinubu’s academic history once again becoming a major talking point in the country’s political discourse.
