On Monday, May 30, 2022, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential screening committee was asked to disqualify a former Governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu, over his “questionable educational qualifications.”
Former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, chaired the screening committee which carried out its assignment at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
Most of the APC presidential aspirants had been screened and given the all clear to continue with their campaigns, at the time of filing this report.
However, in a letter dated May 17, 2022, one Sagir Mai Iyali, who identified himself as an APC member from Kano State, asked the party to disqualify Tinubu over alleged false documents the presidential aspirant tendered to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1998.
Iyali’s position is that Tinubu is above the required age to contest the office of president and that his real age is unknown–factors he thinks can jeopardise the APC’s chances at the general elections.
“We understand that Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has since procured his expression of interest and nomination forms and has submitted the same to the party, has certain issues that clearly amount to a similar disqualification scenario,” the petitioner writes.
He adds that; “From the information contained in prior submissions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly in 1999, Mr. Tinubu presented a false claim, on oath, of his attendance at University of Chicago from 1972-1976.
“It is clear now that these claims are false. Not only was this filed in the INEC form with a declaration on oath on December 20, 1999, it was also contained in an affidavit of loss sworn to before the High Court of Lagos, Ikeja Registry, December 29th 1998.
“The latter claim that seeks to transpose history is untenable. Mr. Tinubu has to show proof he attended University of Chicago or he must stand disqualified as the opposition is in possession of these same documents. Over the years, the identity of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been shrouded in secrecy.
“In fact, no one can claim to know the identity of the man. Repeated efforts and demands by the general populace and the media to unravel the identity of Asiwaju Tinubu have all proved abortive and unsuccessful.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu rather chose and prefers an incognito lifestyle. Part of the man that has remained hidden is his educational background. Before now, so many reporters have launched discreet investigations to unravel the truth about the educational background of Asiwaju without success.
“We therefore urge the screening committee to invoke the powers vested on it by the constitution and guidelines of the party to disqualify Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from taking part in the APC primary election for the presidential election.”
The controversy over Tinubu’s allegedly forged University of Chicago certificates was a recurring theme during his first term as Lagos Governor from 1999 to 2003.
Tinubu had previously admitted that there were discrepancies in his INEC filings in 1998.
He was subsequently cleared by the State House of Assembly for deliberately lying about his qualifications, although the lawmakers, majority of whom were his lackeys, were accused of being “hasty” in their judgement.
Tinubu publicly holds that he is 70 years of age.
The APC holds its presidential primary election on June 6, 2022 and a chunk of its 23 presidential aspirants have been cleared.