INEC publishes Tinubu, Shettima’s credentials as 2027 election process enters public scrutiny
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday moved the 2027 presidential election process into a new phase by publicly displaying the personal particulars, academic credentials and statutory documents submitted by President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and other presidential candidates.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday moved the 2027 presidential election process into a new phase by publicly displaying the personal particulars, academic credentials and statutory documents submitted by President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and other presidential candidates.
The publication of the documents, as required under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, opens a window for public scrutiny and potential legal challenges over the authenticity or accuracy of information supplied by candidates before campaigns commence later this month.
Documents displayed by the commission showed that Tinubu submitted a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, United States, awarded with honours on June 22, 1979, alongside his National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate indicating he served in Oyo State between December 1982 and November 1983.
The President’s employment history listed Mobil Nigeria Limited, where he worked from 1983 to 1992 before leaving for what was described as “advancement”; the Lagos State Government, where he served as governor from 1999 to 2007 until the “legal end of tenure”; and the Federal Government, where he has served as President since 2023.
However, Tinubu’s Form EC9 listed “0000” as the years he attended both his primary and secondary schools, while only his university qualification obtained in 1979 was reflected. The form also stated that he was born on March 29, 1952, in Lagos, resides at No. 4 Queen’s Drive, Ikoyi, and identified his occupation as “politician.”
Shettima’s documents provided a detailed educational history, beginning with Lamisula I Primary School, where records showed he attended from 1972 to 1978 and graduated second in a class of 22 pupils.
His West African Examinations Council certificate from Government Secondary School, Potiskum, recorded six credits and passes, including distinctions in Religious Knowledge and Economics.
He subsequently earned a Second Class Upper degree in Agriculture from the University of Maiduguri in 1989 before obtaining a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan. His NYSC certificate showed he completed national service between October 1989 and October 1990.
INEC said Form EC9 contains the personal particulars, credentials and affidavits submitted by candidates sponsored by political parties and that the documents have been displayed at its offices nationwide.
Under the Electoral Act, members of the public may obtain certified true copies of the nomination documents and approach the courts where they believe a candidate submitted false information or forged credentials.
The publication comes barely three weeks before presidential and National Assembly campaigns officially begin on August 19 under the commission’s revised timetable, setting the stage for heightened political and legal scrutiny as the race for the 2027 general election gathers momentum.
