A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr. Monday Ubani, has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not legally required to submit his primary and secondary school certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), maintaining that the omission does not invalidate his presidential nomination.
Ubani made the clarification during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, following fresh public debate over the educational credentials submitted by candidates for the 2027 presidential election.
The controversy resurfaced after allegations that President Tinubu did not include his primary and secondary school certificates among the documents filed with INEC, prompting questions about whether such certificates are compulsory under the Constitution.
Addressing the issue, the constitutional lawyer stressed that the debate should be guided by the law rather than public opinion, noting that the Constitution only requires a candidate to have been educated up to school certificate level or its equivalent.
According to him, the courts have consistently interpreted the constitutional provision to mean that candidates are not under any legal obligation to present their primary or secondary school certificates as part of their nomination documents.
Ubani explained that possession of a recognised university degree creates a legal presumption that the holder progressed through the lower levels of education, unless credible evidence is presented to prove otherwise.
He, however, acknowledged that although the law does not compel candidates to submit all their academic certificates, doing so would promote transparency and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
The senior lawyer also defended INEC’s role in the nomination process, saying the electoral body is only required to receive and publish candidates’ documents for public scrutiny and is not empowered by law to authenticate or reject credentials.
He noted that anyone who believes false information has been supplied by a candidate has the right to challenge such claims before a competent court within the period stipulated by the Electoral Act.
Ubani also commented on recent questions surrounding variations in the names appearing on the academic records of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, saying discrepancies in names are not necessarily evidence of wrongdoing but should be properly explained and supported with relevant legal documentation.
On allegations of certificate forgery that trailed President Tinubu’s 2023 election, the SAN said the Supreme Court did not make a substantive determination on the merits of the claims because of procedural issues.
He further advised that disputes relating to educational qualifications should be pursued as pre-election matters within the timeframe provided by law, warning that failure to challenge such issues promptly could prevent them from being entertained after the election.
