The Independent National Electoral Commission has begun the public display of the personal particulars and academic credentials of presidential candidates for the 2027 general election.

The exercise, which took off on Saturday, features documents submitted by President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and running mate, Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Copies of Tinubu’s Form EC9 sighted by our correspondent showed his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, United States, which his transcript indicated was awarded “with honours” on June 22, 1979.

The form also carried his National Youth Service Corps discharge documents, which showed he served in Oyo State from December 1982 and was demobilised in November 1983.

His work history, as listed in the form, showed three employers: Mobil Nigeria Limited, where he worked from 1983 to 1992 and left on account of “advancement”; the Lagos State Government, where he served from 1999 to 2007 until the “legal end of tenure”; and the Federal Government of Nigeria, where he has worked from 2023 till date.

The years listed against his primary and secondary school attendance in the same form were entered as “0000,” with only his university qualification, a B.Sc obtained in 1979, indicated.

The President’s personal information section listed his date of birth as March 29, 1952, and his age as 74.

It also listed his birthplace as Lagos, his residential address as No. 4, Queen’s Drive, Ikoyi, and his occupation as “politician.”

For Shettima, the displayed documents traced his education from primary school.

His Certificate of Primary Education, issued by the Ministry of Education, North-Eastern State, showed he attended Lamisula I Primary School between 1972 and 1978, finishing second out of 22 pupils in his final year, with English, History and Religious Knowledge listed as his strongest subjects.

His West African Examinations Council result, obtained at Government Secondary School, Potiskum, in June 1983, showed six credits and passes, including a distinction in Religious Knowledge and Economics.

He proceeded to the University of Maiduguri, where records showed he bagged a Second Class Upper Division degree in Agriculture in August 1989, before earning a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan.

His NYSC discharge certificate indicated he served from October 1989 to October 1990.

The display, contained in Form EC9, is a statutory requirement under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which mandates INEC to publish candidates’ particulars within 21 days of receipt.

In a statement, the commission explained Form EC9 contains the credentials, personal particulars and affidavits submitted by candidates.

“Form EC9 contains the credentials, personal particulars and affidavits submitted by candidates sponsored by political parties,” INEC stated.

The documents were displayed at INEC offices nationwide, including its Lagos State office in Sabo-Yaba and Local Government Area offices within affected constituencies.

The Electoral Act empowers members of the public to apply to INEC for certified true copies of nomination forms and other documents submitted by candidates, and to seek legal redress over allegations of false declaration or forgery.

Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to begin on August 19, while those for governorship and state assembly elections will follow later, in line with the commission’s revised timetable.

Photos below:

(PUNCH)

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