By our reporter 24.8.2026
All Progress Congress top member and senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume has urged opposition political parties to talk less on President Bola Tinubu’s academic qualifications as this was causing distractions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ndume argued that Tinubu’s performance in office and his achievements should be the central discussions and not certificates.
“The narrative around his certificate is distracting. What opposition presidential candidates should be doing is to tell Nigerians what they have to offer. What are their alternative economic policies? What can they do better than President Tinubu?” Ndume said in a statement Monday.
“They should interrogate his economic policies and how his government has handled insecurity. The President has been in office for over three years now. So why should his certificates be the main talking point?”
Tinubu’s academic records became a topic of discussion when he omitted his primary and secondary school attended in the form EC9 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Ndume said the President submitted BSC Business Administration from The Chicago State University satisfied the constitutional requirement to be eligible to become President of Nigeria.
African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar continue to question Tinubu’s certificates; he recently instituted a legal action against Tinubu over an alleged forgery of his NYSC discharge certificate.
In the affidavit filed in support of the suit, Atiku questioned the name appearing on the NYSC certificate submitted to INEC, alleging that it bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle” rather than Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Also, Nigeria Democratic Congress, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said in press conference: “Every candidate must be willing to defend their credentials, defend their records, and subject their vision to open scrutiny.”
