President Bola Tinubu‘s educational history has returned to public attention after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the personal particulars of candidates for the 2027 general elections, showing that the President, as he did before the 2023 election, listed only his university qualification while leaving the sections for primary and secondary education uncompleted.
The disclosure, published by INEC at its local government offices nationwide in accordance with the Electoral Act, has revived a controversy that has trailed Tinubu’s political career for years, and prompted renewed criticism from opposition figures and public commentators while raising fresh questions about transparency in candidates’ educational declarations.
Unlike disputes centred on campaign promises or election results, the latest debate stems from information voluntarily submitted by presidential candidates to Nigeria’s electoral umpire.
READ RELATED NEWS UPDATES
Tinubu vows to defeat opposition in 2027, insists INEC is neutral
INEC denies copying Tinubu aide’s statement amid controversy
INEC registers 2.97 million new voters as opposition, CSOs demand extension of CVR
Documents displayed by INEC show that Tinubu declared a Bachelor of Science degree obtained in 1979 from Chicago State University and attached a copy of the certificate issued by the institution. He also submitted his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate. However, the spaces provided for primary and secondary education were left blank.
The latest filing mirrors Tinubu’s declaration before the 2023 presidential election, when his INEC Form EC9 also identified Chicago State University as his educational qualification without indicating any primary or secondary schools.
The disclosure has attracted renewed attention because other leading presidential candidates supplied varying levels of information about their educational backgrounds.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, listed St. Augustine’s Primary School, Christ the King College, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and attached certificates corresponding to each level.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, indicated that he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) and West African School Certificate (WASCE), although he did not identify the schools where they were obtained. He also attached evidence of his Master’s degree from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom.
The African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore similarly indicated that he possessed First School Leaving (FSL) and WAEC certificates without naming the schools attended, while attaching evidence of his postgraduate qualification from Columbia University.
The differing disclosures have revived questions first raised during the 2023 election cycle.
In August 2023, Atiku publicly questioned why Tinubu’s declaration contained no record of primary or secondary education despite presenting a university degree. In a statement posted on his verified social media account, the former Vice President contrasted the submission with what he said were Tinubu’s earlier political declarations, which allegedly identified St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos; Children’s Home School, Ibadan; Government College, Ibadan; Richard J. Daley College; and Chicago State University.
Atiku urged the President to explain what he called inconsistencies in those declarations.
Those remarks formed part of the wider legal and political contest that followed the 2023 presidential election, including litigation in the United States involving requests for records relating to Tinubu’s academic credentials at Chicago State University.
During those proceedings, Chicago State University confirmed that Bola Tinubu attended the institution and graduated in 1979. However, disagreements over documents tendered during the litigation continued to fuel political debate, although no Nigerian court invalidated Tinubu’s qualification on that basis.
The issue resurfaced this week after broadcaster Oseni Rufai compared the educational disclosures of major presidential candidates on social media, highlighting that Tinubu’s submission contained only his university qualification, unlike Peter Obi’s more detailed educational record.
Former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore also criticised the President’s educational disclosure, where he alleged that Tinubu’s background lacked sufficient public verification. Those remarks remain political opinions and have not been established by any judicial finding.
However, one thing is clear: the Constitution prescribes the minimum educational qualification required to contest the office of President, while the Electoral Act requires candidates to submit personal particulars and supporting documents to INEC.
The law does not expressly compel candidates to list every school attended once they possess the constitutionally required qualification. Consequently, INEC has accepted Tinubu’s submissions in both the 2023 and 2027 election cycles.
Nevertheless, the fuller disclosure of educational history still promotes public confidence, particularly where questions have previously arisen regarding a candidate’s background.
With the publication of the 2027 candidates’ particulars, Tinubu’s educational declaration has again become part of the national political conversation, illustration how issues that featured prominently during the last presidential election continue to shape public debate ahead of another electoral cycle.
As of the time this report was filed, neither the Presidency nor the All Progressives Congress (APC) had publicly explained why Tinubu’s 2027 INEC submission again omitted details of his primary and secondary education. INEC has also not suggested that the President’s submission violates either the Electoral Act or the Constitution.
For More Details, Visit New Daily Prime News
