INEC Documents Show Tinubu Removed His Primary, Secondary School Credentials, Submitted Only University Qualification

• Freshly published INEC documents show President Bola Tinubu listed only his university qualification on his EC9 form, while Labour Party candidate Peter Obi provided his educational history from primary school to university.

Fresh documents published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election have revealed differences in the educational information submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in their Form EC9 nomination papers.

The documents, made public on Saturday in line with the commission’s revised timetable for the January 16, 2027, presidential election, contain the personal particulars, educational credentials and supporting documents submitted by candidates seeking Nigeria’s highest office.

According to President Tinubu’s EC9 form, he listed only his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Business Administration obtained from Chicago State University, United States, in 1979 under the section for educational qualifications.

The spaces provided for primary and secondary school qualifications on the nomination form were left blank.

However, Tinubu attached copies of his Chicago State University degree certificate and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate as supporting documents accompanying his nomination papers.

The President also stated in the form that he was born on March 29, 1952, in Lagos, listed his occupation as “Politician,” and declared that he had never been dismissed from public service.

His employment history shows that he worked at Mobil Nigeria Limited between 1983 and 1992, served as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, and has been employed by the Federal Government of Nigeria as President since 2023.

Obi Submitted Full Educational History

In contrast, the nomination documents submitted by Peter Obi, who is contesting on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), contain his complete educational background from primary school to university.

According to the documents, Obi described his occupation as a “public servant” and stated that he was born on July 19, 1961, in Onitsha, Anambra State.

He declared that he attended St. Augustine’s Primary School, where he completed his primary education in 1973, before proceeding to Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, where he obtained his West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1978.

Obi also disclosed that he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1984.

His university certificate attached to the nomination papers indicates that he graduated with Second Class Honours (Lower Division).

The former Anambra State governor also submitted his NYSC certificate, showing he completed the mandatory national service between May 1985 and March 1986.

Unlike Tinubu, however, Obi left the section for previous work experience blank on his EC9 form, while also declaring that he had never been dismissed from public service.

The publication of the documents forms part of INEC’s statutory requirement to publicly display the credentials and personal particulars submitted by candidates ahead of the 2027 general election, allowing members of the public to scrutinise the information and challenge any alleged false declaration through the appropriate legal channels.