Former Senate leader Ali Ndume says opposition parties should not focus on President Bola Tinubu’s academic credentials ahead of Nigeria’s January 16 presidential election. Speaking in a press statement on Monday, Ndume frames the “certificate” debate as a distraction from what he calls Tinubu’s policies and record as a sitting president.
Ndume’s comments come amid renewed scrutiny over Tinubu’s educational background after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published details of the academic qualifications of 19 presidential candidates and their running mates. Opposition parties have raised questions about whether Tinubu’s secondary school certificate should have been attached, with the debate linked to his eligibility.
Ndume argues that Tinubu has fulfilled the constitutional educational requirement and dismisses the insinuation that a specific secondary school certificate is mandatory. Citing Section 131(d) of the 1999 Constitution, he says the Constitution sets a minimum education threshold equivalent to a school certificate but does not require the particularity of one type of certificate. He also says eligibility issues have already been addressed through litigation connected to the 2023 presidential election.
