By Enemona Samuel Endurance
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu listed only his university qualification in the educational qualifications section of his EC9 nomination form for the 2027 presidential election, leaving the spaces provided for his primary and secondary school credentials blank.
The personal particulars and academic credentials submitted by presidential candidates were published on Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of the statutory process ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The documents form part of the nomination papers submitted by candidates seeking to contest the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027. INEC also published the personal particulars and supporting documents of vice presidential candidates nominated by the various political parties.
Tinubu’s Educational Qualification
A review of President Tinubu’s EC9 form shows that he listed a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Business Administration from Chicago State University in the United States, which he indicated he obtained in 1979.
However, the spaces designated for primary and secondary school qualifications on the summary page of the form were left blank.
As part of the documents accompanying his nomination papers, Tinubu also submitted copies of his B.Sc. degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
In the personal particulars submitted to INEC, the President stated that he was born on March 29, 1952, in Lagos State and identified his occupation as “Politician.”
His employment history showed that he worked with Mobil Nigeria Limited from 1983 to 1992 before serving as Governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.
Tinubu also listed his current employment as the Federal Government of Nigeria, stating that he has held the position from 2023 to date. He further declared that he had never been dismissed from the public service.
Peter Obi Submits Complete Educational History
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi described his occupation as “Public Servant” in the document submitted to INEC.
Unlike Tinubu’s form, Obi’s submission included details of his educational progression from primary school through university.
Obi stated that he attended St. Augustine’s Primary School in Anambra State, where he completed his primary education in 1973.
He subsequently attended Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, where he obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1978.
He further declared that he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1984.
The university degree certificate attached to his nomination documents indicates that Obi graduated with Second Class Honours (Lower Division).
He also submitted his NYSC certificate, which showed that he completed his mandatory national service between May 1985 and March 1986.
However, the section of the EC9 form relating to previous employment experience was left blank. Obi also declared that he had never been dismissed from the public service.
Atiku Lists Primary, Secondary and Master’s Qualifications
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is also seeking the presidential ticket for the 2027 election, listed his educational qualifications in the documents submitted to INEC.
Atiku stated that he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) in 1954, followed by the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961.
He also listed a Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Relations, which he indicated was obtained in 2020.
In his employment history, Atiku stated that he served with the Nigerian Customs Service from 1969 to 1989 before leaving the service through voluntary retirement.
He also listed the Presidential Villa in Abuja as a place of employment between 1999 and 2007, corresponding with his period as Vice President of Nigeria.
Atiku further declared that he had never been dismissed from the public service.
INEC Opens Documents to Public Scrutiny
The publication of the candidates’ personal particulars and supporting documents marks the beginning of the statutory period for public scrutiny ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Under Section 33 of the Electoral Act, any person who believes that information contained in a candidate’s affidavit or submitted documents is false may institute legal proceedings to challenge the declaration, provided evidence is presented to support the claim.
INEC had scheduled August 1 for the publication of the personal particulars and credentials of presidential candidates following the conclusion of political party primaries and the submission of nomination forms for the 2027 General Election.
The presidential election is scheduled to hold on January 16, 2027, while campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to commence later in August in line with INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities.
According to The Bureau Journal, the publication of the documents gives members of the public and other interested parties an opportunity to examine the information submitted by candidates before the 2027 elections.
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