A disagreement erupted between members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Channels TV last night, August 3, over President Bola Tinubu’s educational credentials and constitutional requirements for elective office.

Last weekend, the Independent National Electoral Commission began the public display of the personal particulars and academic credentials of presidential candidates for the 2027 general election.

Copies of President Tinubu’s Form EC9 showed his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, United States, which his transcript indicated was awarded “with honours” on June 22, 1979. The form also carried his National Youth Service Corps discharge documents, which showed he served in Oyo State from December 1982 and was demobilised in November 1983. Information about his primary and secondary schools was, however, not displayed.

This has been a source of controversy since the commission published the details.

Speaking on Channels Television on Monday, August 3, an ADC chieftain, Kalu Kalu, challenged President Tinubu to tell Nigerians the primary and secondary schools he attended. However, APC member Alwan Hassan defended the President, arguing that what the Constitution requires is a “school certificate” or its equivalent.

According to Hassan, the equivalent of a school certificate is the ability to read and write.