Politics
2027: Tinubu lists only university degree as Atiku, Obi provide full
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has again listed only his university degree among the academic credentials published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 presidential election, while his major challengers, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, provided full records of their educational progression from primary school.
INEC recently published the personal particulars, academic credentials and other supporting documents submitted by presidential candidates and their running mates in line with the Electoral Act 2026.
The documents were displayed at the commission’s offices nationwide but had yet to be uploaded to INEC’s website as of the time this report was filed.
A review of the documents by The ICIR showed that like 2023, Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), submitted his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, obtained in 1979.
The president did not include certificates or details of his primary and secondary education among the documents made public by INEC.
His records also show that he participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between December 1982 and November 1983 and worked at Mobil Nigeria Limited from 1983 to 1992 before venturing into politics.
In contrast, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Abubakar Abubakar, submitted documents showing his educational progression from primary school to postgraduate level.
These include his First School Leaving Certificate obtained in 1954, his West African School Certificate earned in 1961, and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations awarded in 2020.
Although he did not indicate the schools he attended or attached the certificates of his primary and secondary schools, he attached the certificate for his Master of Arts degree in International Relations, obtained in 2020 from Anglia Ruskin University in England, United Kingdom (UK).
Similarly, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), listed his education background to show that he attended Augustine’s Primary School in 1973 and Christ the King College, Onitsha, in 1978 before graduating from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1984.
He also didn’t provide his primary and secondary schools certificates in the particulars INEC published.
The publication was carried out in compliance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to publish the personal particulars and supporting documents submitted by candidates within 21 days of receiving them.
The provision allows the public, political parties and other interested persons to scrutinise candidates’ credentials and affidavits before the election.
Backstory
The ICIR reports that Tinubu’s educational records have remained a subject of public and legal scrutiny for more than two decades, long before the 2023 presidential election.
The controversy dates back to 1999 when discrepancies were allegedly identified in documents submitted for his governorship bid in Lagos State, particularly regarding his educational history and personal records.
The issue resurfaced ahead of the 2023 presidential election after Tinubu’s Form EC9 submitted to INEC listed only his Chicago State University (CSU) degree.
He did not provide primary or secondary school certificates, explaining in an accompanying affidavit that the certificates were stolen during the military era. The omission triggered renewed public debate and litigation over his educational qualifications.
Following the February 2023 election, Abubakar obtained an order from a United States court compelling Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records.
The university confirmed that Tinubu attended the institution and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. However, the controversy shifted to the diploma submitted to INEC after a university official said CSU could not authenticate the copy presented to the electoral commission because it was not the original document in its possession.
Tinubu and his legal team maintained that he graduated from the university and argued that any discrepancies were attributable to the university’s issuance of replacement certificates and administrative processes rather than forgery.
The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed Abubakar’s bid to introduce fresh evidence from the U.S. proceedings in his challenge to Tinubu’s election, allowing the election outcome to stand.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
