A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s failure to present his primary and secondary school certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disqualifies him from holding office.
Okonkwo made the claim in a post on X, insisting that Nigeria’s laws governing university admission require candidates to possess at least five credits at the O’ Level.
“Tinubu purporting to be qualified for President by providing a foreign University certificate, which the University publicly declared did not emanate from it, without providing his secondary school certificate disqualifies him from being President,” he wrote.
INEC recently published the credentials of all presidential candidates contesting in the 2027 elections.
Tinubu’s Form EC9 showed his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, awarded “with honours” on June 22, 1979, along with his National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate from Oyo State.
However, details of his primary and secondary education were not displayed.
The omission has reignited controversy over Tinubu’s academic background, an issue that has surfaced repeatedly in Nigerian politics.
On August 3, a heated debate broke out on Channels Television between members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition ADC.
ADC representative Kalu Kalu challenged Tinubu to disclose the schools he attended, while APC member Alwan Hassan defended the President, arguing that the Constitution requires only a “school certificate” or its equivalent. According to Hassan, the equivalent is the ability to read and write.
Judicial Concerns And Political Implications
Okonkwo further criticised Nigeria’s judiciary, accusing some judges of issuing “perverse judgements” that undermine democracy.
He argued that judicial misconduct has allowed controversies over qualifications to persist.
“The only reason our democracy is in peril is because of judicial rascality,” he said, referencing warnings from the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the National Judicial Council.
The dispute over Tinubu’s credentials adds to wider political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While APC members insist the President meets constitutional requirements, opposition figures continue to question the legitimacy of his academic records.
