2023: Full List Of Candidates With Missing Certificates

Heading into the 2023 presidential polls, there seems to be a growing pattern amongst presidential candidates and their running mates. Before now, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its screening process to certify candidates for the polls, requested some documents from candidates of the various political parties as a requirement for screening. However, one part of the required document that seems to be a major problem for some candidates is their academic certificate.

This is acompilation of some candidates who claimed to have misplaced their certificates.

1. Bola Tinubu

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress tops this list. When asked about his certificate, he said his certificate was looted when he went into exile during the military rule of the late-military president, Sani Abacha.

2. Atiku Abubakar

A report has revealed that the presidential candidate of the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is also in the middle of a certificate scandal. As reported by the online platform, Atiku in an affidavit presented to INEC said he wished to be known by his current name because his WAEC certificate carries the name “Siddiq Abubakar”. He stated that he obtained his secondary school in 1965 and obtained his master’s in 2021.

3. Abdulmalik Ado Ibrahim

Similarly, the presidential candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Abdulmalik Ado Ibrahim also complained that he could not find his authentic university degree and diploma certificate. Just like other, Ado Ibrahim swore a court affidavit confirming that he misplaced his both of his certificate.

4. Sani Yabagi

For the Action Democratic Party (ADP), presidential flag bearer, Sani Yabagi, he stated that he had changed his name from “Sani Yusuf” to “Yabagi Yusuf Sani”. According to a report, Yabagi confirmed that his certificate from the University of Colombia (New York) and his WAEC certificate carries the former name.

5. Ifeanyi Okowa

Just like his colleague Atiku Abubakar, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is the vice-presidential running mate of PDP is also caught in the middle of certificate scandal. Okowa according to reports declared in an affidavit sent to INEC that his WAEC result obtained in 1974 is missing.

6. Kabiru Masari

Meanwhile, the vice presidential place holder of the APC, Kabiru Masari just like Tinubu also swore an affidavit in court sent to INEC declaring that he could not find his certificate. In his affidavit as reported earlier by Legit.ng, he stated that his certificate got missing sometime in January 2021 while on transit to Abuja.