Tinubu, Atiku, Obi Omit Primary, Secondary School Certificates as INEC Publishes Candidates’ Particulars

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the personal particulars of candidates contesting the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections across its local government offices nationwide.

The published documents include information such as candidates’ names, gender, residential addresses, educational qualifications, work experience and supporting credentials submitted as part of the nomination process.

INEC also displayed the particulars of vice-presidential candidates in compliance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires the commission to publish candidates’ details within 21 days of receiving them.

Among the leading presidential contenders are President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The documents showed differences in the educational records submitted by the three candidates.

President Tinubu did not provide details of his primary and secondary education. Instead, he listed only his Bachelor of Science degree obtained in 1979 and attached his certificate from Chicago State University (CSU).

Tinubu’s CSU certificate had generated widespread public debate during the 2023 presidential election following allegations questioning the identity of the graduate. Similar to his 2023 submission, his latest particulars did not include information about his primary and secondary schools.

Peter Obi, on the other hand, provided details of his educational background, stating that he attended Augustine’s Primary School in Anambra, where he completed his primary education in 1973, and Christ the King College, where he finished secondary school in 1978.

Obi also listed the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, as his alma mater, indicating that he graduated in 1984. His university certificate, as well as his primary and secondary school certificates, formed part of the documents published by INEC.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar indicated that he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1954 and his West African School Certificate in 1961. However, he neither identified the schools attended nor attached copies of those certificates.

He attached only his Master of Arts degree certificate in International Relations, awarded by Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom in 2020.

The publication allows members of the public to examine the credentials submitted by candidates ahead of the 2027 general election.