Former Senate Leader and All Progressives Congress chieftain, Ali Ndume, has advised opposition parties to shift their attention from President Bola Tinubu’s academic credentials and concentrate on his record in office ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ndume made the call in Abuja on Monday, arguing that the continued debate over Tinubu’s educational background was distracting political parties from issues that directly affect Nigerians.
He challenged opposition presidential hopefuls to present clear alternatives to the policies of the Tinubu administration instead of making the President’s certificates the centre of political discussions.
“The narrative around his certificate is distracting. What opposition presidential candidates should be doing is to tell Nigerians what they have to offer,” Ndume said.
He urged the opposition to scrutinise the administration’s economic policies, security record and overall performance since Tinubu assumed office.
“The President has been in office for over three years now. So why should his certificates be the main talking point?” he asked.
The renewed debate followed scrutiny of Tinubu’s recently submitted EC9 form, in which the sections for primary and secondary education were reportedly left blank.
Tinubu listed a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, obtained in 1979, alongside his degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.
Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Senate, maintained that Tinubu had satisfied the constitutional educational requirement for the presidency.
He cited Section 131(d) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires a presidential candidate to be educated to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.
“The Constitution only sets a minimum educational qualification. It does not say it must be a secondary school certificate,” he said.
The senator also argued that questions concerning Tinubu’s qualification had previously been addressed by the courts following the 2023 presidential election.
With political activities already intensifying ahead of the 2027 elections, Ndume called on opposition parties to raise the quality of their campaigns by focusing on policies and solutions
“As we move deeper into campaigns, the opposition should elevate the discourse beyond pettiness,” he said.
He further quoted former United States First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, saying, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
