By Our Correspondent
Former Labour Party chieftain and legal practitioner, Kenneth Okonkwo, has stirred fresh political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be disqualified from seeking re-election over what he described as the absence of primary and secondary school certificates among the credentials submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking during a recent interview, Okonkwo argued that while President Tinubu presented a university certificate, the publicly available documents did not include certificates from his primary and secondary education. According to him, this raises constitutional and legal questions about the President’s eligibility to contest another presidential election.
Okonkwo maintained that admission into a university ordinarily requires evidence of secondary school qualifications. He therefore contended that the non-availability of those certificates in the documents published by INEC should attract closer legal scrutiny. He argued that electoral laws and constitutional provisions should be applied uniformly to every candidate, irrespective of political affiliation or status.
The outspoken lawyer further criticized previous judicial decisions relating to election qualification disputes, alleging that some court judgments had failed to uphold the spirit of the law. He called on the judiciary and relevant electoral authorities to ensure that all aspirants are subjected to the same legal standards in the interest of fairness, transparency, and the rule of law.
His remarks have generated mixed reactions across Nigeria’s political landscape. While supporters of the opposition describe his position as a legitimate demand for accountability and strict compliance with electoral requirements, members and supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have dismissed the claims as politically motivated and lacking legal merit.
Political observers believe the issue could become one of the major talking points as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 presidential election. Analysts say questions surrounding candidates’ qualifications, constitutional interpretation, and compliance with electoral regulations are likely to feature prominently in the pre-election season.
As of now, neither President Tinubu nor the APC has issued a fresh official response to Okonkwo’s latest comments. INEC has also not made any new statement regarding the claims.
Under Nigeria’s electoral system, questions concerning a candidate’s qualification are ultimately determined by the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the courts where legal challenges are filed. Okonkwo’s comments therefore represent his legal and political opinion and do not constitute a judicial determination of President Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
