The Independent National Electoral Commission has published the personal particulars of candidates contesting the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, making the documents available at its local government offices nationwide.
The electoral body also released the particulars of vice-presidential candidates, with the documents containing information such as candidates’ full names, gender, residential addresses, educational qualifications and work history.
INEC said the publication was in line with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires the commission to display candidates’ particulars within 21 days of receiving them.
Among the leading presidential contenders are President Bola Tinubu of the APC, Peter Obi of the NDC, Atiku Abubakar of the ADC and Omoyele Sowore of the AAC.
According to the documents released by INEC, Tinubu did not provide information about his primary and secondary education. Instead, he listed only his university qualification, stating that he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1979.
His certificate from Chicago State University was included in the submission. The certificate drew significant public attention ahead of the 2023 presidential election amid disputes over its authenticity and the identity of the graduate.
As was the case during the 2023 election, Tinubu did not include details of his primary and secondary education in the forms submitted to INEC.
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Obi, on the other hand, provided details of his academic history, including the primary and secondary schools he attended. He stated that he completed his primary education at Augustine’s Primary School, Anambra, in 1973 and graduated from Christ the King College in 1978.
He also attached copies of his primary and secondary school certificates and listed the University of Nigeria as the institution where he obtained his degree in 1984.
Atiku’s documents indicated that he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1954 and his West African School Certificate in 1961. However, he did not state the names of the schools he attended or attach copies of those certificates.
He did, however, submit his Master of Arts certificate in International Relations, awarded in 2020 by Anglia Ruskin University.
Sowore’s submission showed that he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1980, his WAEC certificate in 1987 and a master’s degree in 2003.
He did not disclose the names of the primary or secondary schools he attended, nor did he indicate that he obtained a first degree. However, he attached evidence of his master’s degree from Columbia University.