A heated debate broke out on Channels Television on Monday night, August 3, as members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) disagreed over President Bola Tinubu’s academic records and the constitutional qualifications required to contest elective office.
The controversy followed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) release of the personal particulars and academic credentials submitted by presidential aspirants for the 2027 general election. As part of the electoral process, the commission has begun displaying candidates’ Form EC9 documents for public scrutiny.
President Tinubu’s filing includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University in the United States. According to the accompanying transcript, the degree was awarded with honours on June 22, 1979. The documents also contain his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, indicating that he served in Oyo State between December 1982 and November 1983.
However, the documents made available by INEC did not include details of the President’s primary and secondary school education. The omission has sparked renewed public discussion and political debate.
During the Channels Television programme, ADC chieftain Kalu Kalu questioned the absence of those educational records and called on President Tinubu to publicly identify the primary and secondary schools he attended.
Responding to the criticism, APC member Alwan Hassan defended the President, arguing that the Nigerian Constitution does not require candidates to provide extensive academic history. According to Hassan, the constitutional requirement is possession of a “school certificate” or its equivalent.
He further maintained that, under the Constitution, the equivalent of a school certificate includes the ability to read and write, suggesting that the President meets the legal qualifications for elective office.
The exchange highlights the continuing political debate over educational qualifications and constitutional eligibility as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.
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