2027: Tinubu’s university qualification meets constitutional requirement, says analyst

Public policy analyst Deyemi Saka has dismissed concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s decision to list only his university qualification in the educational section of his nomination papers for the 2027 presidential election.

 

Saka made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television on Sunday following public debate over Tinubu’s EC9 nomination form published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

 

The controversy arose after the President’s personal particulars showed that he listed only his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Business Administration from Chicago State University, obtained in 1979, while leaving the sections for primary and secondary school qualifications blank.

 

Reacting to the issue, Saka argued that the President had satisfied the constitutional requirements to contest the election.

 

“The certificate has been questioned and has been ascertained to be real and not fake. He has fulfilled all constitutional requirements and I think we should move on. There are better topics to pick up with the president,” he said.

 

INEC on Saturday published the nomination documents of presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the January 16, 2027 presidential election in line with its revised timetable and schedule of activities.

 

Tinubu attached copies of his Chicago State University degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate to his nomination papers.

 

According to the documents, the President stated that he was born on March 29, 1952, in Lagos, listed his occupation as “Politician,” and outlined his employment history, including his time at Mobil Nigeria Limited, his tenure as Governor of Lagos State, and his current position as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.