Ahead of the 2023 presidential elections, it has been revealed a list of candidates and their running mates who have claimed that their academic certificates are missing.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its screening process requested some certificates from the political candidates of the various political parties.
However, the academic certificates requirement seems to be a problem for some candidates and their running mates.
Below is a short list of candidates who claimed they are having issues presenting their certificates.
Atiku Abubakar: The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate is in the middle of a certificate scandal.
According to a report, the PDP flag bearer in an affidavit presented to INEC said he wished to be known by his current name because his WAEC certificate carries the name “Siddiq Abubakar”.
He stated that he obtained his secondary school certificate in 1965 and obtained his master’s in 2021.
Sani Yabagi: the Action Democratic Party (ADP), presidential flag bearer told the electoral body that he had changed his name from “Sani Yusuf” to “Yabagi Yusuf Sani”.
According to a report by Nigerian Tribune, Yabagi confirmed that his certificate from the University of Colombia (New York) and his WAEC certificate carries the former name.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu: The standard bearer for the All Progressives Congress informed INEC that his certificate went missing when he went into hiding during the military rule of the late-military president, Sani Abacha.
However recent reports have revealed that the APC national chairman indeed attended the Chicago State University as the institution has confirmed that he is an alumni.
Abdulmalik Ado Ibrahim: The presidential candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Abdulmalik Ado Ibrahim also complained that he could not find his authentic university degree and diploma certificate.
Ibrahim swore a court affidavit that he misplaced both of his certificates.
Ifeanyi Okowa: The vice presidential candidate of the PDP has also declared that his WAEC result obtained in 1974 is missing
Kabiru Masari: The running mate of Tinubu has also stated that he lost his certificates sometime in January 2021 while on transit.
