Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he does not have primary and secondary schools certificates, because they have been stolen.
Tinubu, a former two-term Governor of Lagos State offered the reasons in the forms he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Also, the National Leader of the APC told the INEC that though he had two degrees from two American universities, he could not provide any documentation for it.
He stated that they had been stolen by unknown soldiers during the military junta of the 1990s when he fled the country over his support for the revalidation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was won by late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, annulled by the regime of former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
He was one of the arrowheads of the National Democratic Coalition that fought for the revalidation of the election.
This information was disclosed in an affidavit submitted by Tinubu to the INEC as part of his eligibility filings for the 2023 presidential election.
The documents showed Tinubu left the columns for his primary and secondary schools education unmarked.
However, he stated that he obtained a degree in Business and Administration in 1979.
He said: “I went on self-exile from October 1994 to October 1998.
“When I returned I discovered that all my property, including all the documents relating to my qualifications and my certificates in respect of paragraph three above, were looted by unknown persons.
“My house was a target of series of searches by various security agents from the time the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was forced to adjourn following the military takeover of government of 17th November 1993.”
Meanwhile, Tinubu’s latest claims appear to contradict his previous election submissions, especially in 1999 and 2003, when he ran for office as a governorship candidate in Lagos State.
He claimed both times that he attended primary and secondary schools.
He said he attended St Paul Children’s Home School, Ibadan, Oyo State between 1958 and 1964, while his secondary education was at Government College, Ibadan, also in Oyo State between 1965 to 1968.
From Ibadan, Tinubu said he proceed to Richard Daley College, Chicago, from 1969 to 1971.
Finally, he said he attended both Chicago State University and the University of Chicago.
The Chicago State University confirmed Tinubu as its student, graduating with a degree in Business and Administration on June 22, 1979.
Donate to Precision
