A fresh controversy has erupted over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s educational credentials after former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, alleged that the President did not submit his primary and secondary school certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of his nomination documents for the 2027 presidential election.
Melaye made the claim in a video circulated on social media on Sunday after INEC displayed the nomination forms and supporting credentials of presidential candidates and their running mates in line with the electoral timetable for the 2027 general election.
According to the former lawmaker, documents published by the electoral umpire show that Tinubu declared only a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration obtained from Chicago State University, United States, while the sections designated for primary and secondary school qualifications were left blank.
“Tinubu did not submit his primary and secondary school certificates to INEC. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about the educational history of the person occupying the highest office in the land,” Melaye said.
He argued that the omission raises fresh questions about the President’s academic history and called on INEC to clarify the issue.
According to him, transparency in electoral documentation is essential to strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
INEC recently commenced the public display of nomination forms and accompanying documents submitted by presidential candidates, as required under the electoral timetable for the 2027 polls.
Copies of President Tinubu’s Form EC9 indicate that he declared a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, obtained in 1979. The form, however, contains no entries under the sections for primary and secondary school qualifications.
The issue is not new.
Similar questions were raised during the 2023 presidential election after Tinubu’s nomination documents also omitted the names of his primary and secondary schools, sparking political debate and a series of legal challenges.
At the time, supporters of the President argued that the Constitution requires a presidential candidate to possess at least a School Certificate level qualification or its equivalent and that Tinubu’s university degree satisfied the constitutional requirement.
The controversy over Tinubu’s academic records also featured prominently in post-election litigation, including disputes surrounding documents from Chicago State University.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Presidency nor the All Progressives Congress (APC) had responded to Melaye’s latest claims.
The renewed allegations have once again brought President Tinubu’s educational records into public focus, reviving one of the most enduring political controversies surrounding his career as the country moves closer to the 2027 general election.