Ahmad Ibrahim.
The Saturday, August 1, 2026, publication by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of the personal particulars and credentials of the 19 Presidential Candidates for the 2027 general elections, has once again thrust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s educational qualifications into the national spotlight.
In compliance with Section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC displayed Form EC9 and supporting credentials submitted by each Presidential Candidate, to enable Nigerians examine the information before the official commencement of election campaigns on August 19, 2026.
The purpose of this Constitutional and statutory exercise is for transparency, accountability and public scrutiny.
A review of the documents published by INEC showed that President Tinubu declared that he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, from Chicago State University, CSU, in 1979. He also stated that he participated in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, between December 1982 and November 1983.
Noticeably absent from the documents made public, however, are the records relating to his primary or Secondary School education.
This omission has reopened a Constitutional debate that has lingered for years: Does the submission of University Degree, without any record of Primary or Secondary education, sufficiently satisfy the educational qualification prescribed by the 1999 Constitution?
Section 131 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), provides that a person shall be qualified for election to the office of President:
1. If he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth.
2. If he has attained the age of 40 years.
3. If he is a member of a political party, and is sponsored by that political party.
4. If he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.
The Constitution is deliberate in its wording. It does not specifically require a University Degree or any higher qualification, or even a NYSC certificate, as President Tinubu has presented. Rather, it expressly identifies “School Certificate level or its equivalent”, as the Constitutional threshold, which the All Progressives Congress, APC, 2027 Presidential Candidate has failed to provide for the forthcoming elections.
President Tinubu’s submission, on the other hand, contains his University Degree and NYSC details, but no publicly available record of the School Certificate or equivalent qualification expressly mentioned in Section 131 of the Constitution, which is the Supreme Law in the Country.
The issue, therefore, is not whether President Tinubu possesses a Bachelor’s Degree. Neither is it a debate about his academic attainment. The Constitutional question is whether the documents placed before the Nigerian public demonstrate compliance with the specific qualification stipulated by the Constitution.
Supporters of the President contend that a recognised Bachelor’s degree necessarily presupposes attainment of at least School Certificate Level, making the production of earlier certificates unnecessary. Millions of Nigerians, however, argue that where the Constitution expressly refers to a particular qualification, the documentary evidence submitted to INEC should include proof of that qualification or its recognised equivalent, especially in a process designed to promote transparency and public confidence.
INEC’s publication of Candidates’ credentials is not a ceremonial exercise. It is intended to enable Nigerians scrutinise the qualifications of those seeking the nation’s highest Office; and where questions arise from the documents published, they deserve clear and credible answers, or necessary actions taken; including the disqualification of affected Candidates, as is the case of President Tinubu.
For this reason, Nigerians have been calling on INEC to clarify whether additional educational documents were submitted by the President, but were not included among the published credentials. If such documents exist, they should be made available for public scrutiny immediately, in the interest of transparency. If no such documents were submitted, President Tinubu should be immediately disqualified also, in compliance with Section 131 of the 1999 Constitution.
