The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has allegedly told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), that he did not attend primary and secondary schools.
Tinubu, however, said that he had two degrees from two American universities, but said the certificates were stolen by unknown soldiers during the military junta of the 1990s.
These were contained in an affidavit submitted by Tinubu to the INEC office as part of his eligibility filings for the 2023 presidential elections.
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The documents which were released on Friday by the electoral body indicated that the APC presidential candidate for the 2023 General Elections completely left the columns for his primary and secondary education unmarked.
He however insisted that he obtained a degree in Business and Administration in 1979, apparently referring to his previous claims of attending the Chicago State University.
INEC rules and procedures mandate every candidate wishing to contest election to submit their personal bio data and credentials that will be published for public scrutiny ahead of elections.
The latest claims by Tinubu in his submission to INEC clearly contradicted his previous election submissions, particularly the ones he submitted in 1999 and 2003 when he contested as a governorship candidate in Lagos.
Tinubu had allegedly claimed in both times that he attended primary and secondary schools, saying that he attended St. Paul Children’s Home School, Ibadan, between 1958 and 1964 and secondary school at the Government College, Ibadan, between 1965 and 1968.
Tinubu had also claimed that he later proceeded to Richard Daley College, Chicago, from 1969 to 1971 and also attended both Chicago State University and the University of Chicago.
The Chicago State University confirmed Mr Tinubu as its student, graduating with a degree in business and administration on June 22, 1979.
The submissions by Tinubu were challenged late human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehimi, who described them as fraudulent.
Fawehinmi, had argued at the case at the Supreme Court, which dismissed the case on technical grounds rather than on its merits.
Speaking on the matter, a political activist, Ikenga Ugochinyere, vowed that he would challenge Tinubu’s filings in court, stressing that the APC candidate has committed perjury.
In the words of Ugochinyere; “Tinubu has clearly committed perjury as he abandons his earlier claim of attending primary school, sworn in an affidavit to run for governor but now claims not to have attended primary school.
“His new forms clearly contradict his 2007 affidavit that he has primary school and secondary,” he said.
The campaign organisation Tinubu is yet to speak on the matter of the discrepancies in his submissions to the INEC.
(FOREFRONT)
