2027 Election: Dalung Asks Tinubu to Explain Blank Primary, Secondary School Sections on INEC Form

Former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to explain why the sections for his primary and secondary school qualifications were left blank in the personal particulars submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 presidential election.

Dalung made the demand in a post shared on his X account on Saturday after reviewing the nomination documents published by INEC. He stressed that his comments were based solely on the information contained in the documents released by the electoral body and should not be viewed as an allegation against the President.

According to the former minister, Tinubu listed only his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, obtained in 1979, while the spaces designated for primary and secondary school qualifications were left uncompleted.

Dalung argued that the omission raises questions that deserve public clarification, insisting that transparency is essential in building and maintaining confidence in public office, particularly the presidency.

“If there is a perfectly reasonable explanation, Nigerians deserve to hear it. Public office, especially the presidency, is built on public trust. Trust flourishes where there is openness, not ambiguity,” he wrote.

He maintained that the issue was not about whether Tinubu attended any specific primary or secondary school, but whether elected officials should provide complete disclosures in official documents submitted to electoral authorities.

Dalung also insisted that the same level of accountability expected of every presidential candidate should apply equally to the incumbent President. According to him, openness remains the best way to address public concerns, while silence often encourages speculation.

The remarks followed INEC’s publication of the personal particulars of presidential candidates on Saturday. A review of Tinubu’s EC9 nomination form showed that while the President attached copies of his Chicago State University degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate as supporting documents, the sections for his primary and secondary school qualifications were left blank.