ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Kalu Kalu has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to publicly provide details of the primary and secondary schools he attended following the release of presidential candidates’ personal particulars and credentials by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, August 3, 2026, Kalu queried the educational information submitted by the President, arguing that Nigerians deserve a clearer account of his academic background.

The ADC chieftain said his concerns were based on details contained in the nomination documents submitted to INEC, which he claimed raised fresh questions about Tinubu’s educational history.

President Tinubu’s failure to include details of his primary and secondary school education in the educational qualifications section of his INEC documents has sparked renewed public discussion over his academic records.

Kalu also referred to documents allegedly submitted by Tinubu during the 2022 election cycle, claiming that the President listed a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate among his credentials. He questioned the name and details contained in the document, alleging that they required further clarification.

According to him, the issues surrounding the President’s academic records should be addressed publicly to ensure transparency.

“Even in 2022, in the INEC document he submitted, he claimed he had a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate. And the name on that certificate was Bola Adekunle Tinubu. So where did he get ‘Adekunle’ from? He claimed he graduated, but the certificate was forged,” Kalu said.

The claims have added to ongoing public debate over the educational qualifications and eligibility of political candidates ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Tinubu remains the only credible leadership option for Nigeria, insisting that no other potential presidential contender has demonstrated the courage or capacity to confront the country’s long-standing economic challenges.

Speaking at his monthly media briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, Wike defended Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy, describing the decision as the boldest taken by any Nigerian president in decades.

According to him, while the reforms have imposed temporary hardship on Nigerians, they have strengthened the finances of state governments, improved infrastructure funding and ended the era when states depended on bank loans to pay workers’ salaries.

“Asiwaju is the only person we have now. He has not done everything, and nobody says he has, but he has shown the courage to take decisions others refused to take. Give him credit for that,” Wike said.

The minister argued that Nigerians should not expect an economy weakened over many years to recover within a short period.

“When problems have accumulated for over 15 years, people expect them to be solved in one year. It doesn’t work that way. Healing takes time, but it will happen,” he said.

Wike described the fuel subsidy regime as “a cancer,” recalling that as governor, he had to rely on bank borrowing to meet salary obligations because of declining allocations to states.

“The fuel subsidy consumed over ₦3 trillion at a time. Today, states receive more money. Pensioners are being paid, governors no longer queue before bank managers to borrow money just to pay salaries, and there are more resources for infrastructure,” he said.

He maintained that leadership is defined by the willingness to make difficult decisions rather than by popular sentiment.

“Everybody agreed that subsidy was a scam, but no president had the political will to remove it. President Tinubu took that decision. No decision is 100 per cent perfect, but leadership is about taking responsibility,” he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Major general Auwalu Mahmuda has assumed duty as the 56th General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division in Ibadan, Oyo State, taking over from Chinedu Nnebeife, whose tenure was marked by one of the military’s most significant internal security operations this year, the rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in the state.

The handover ceremony held on Monday at the 2 Division Headquarters, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan, followed Mr Nnebeife’s redeployment to command the newly established 10 Division in Jalingo, Taraba State.

Gen.Mahmuda’s appointment comes at a period when the 2 Division continues to play a frontline role in counter-insurgency anti-kidnapping operations and internal security efforts across the South-west.

Speaking after taking over command, Gen Mahmuda thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, for the confidence reposed in him. He described the appointment as a privilege and pledged to consolidate on the operational gains recorded by his predecessor.

“I thank the Chief of Army Staff for finding me worthy of this appointment,” he said, assuring officers and soldiers under the division of his commitment to strengthening operational effectiveness and improving security across the division’s area of responsibility.

The new GOC also commended Mr Nnebeife for what he described as remarkable achievements during his tenure, promising to sustain the momentum.

Gen. Nnebeife leaves the Ibadan-based division after supervising one of the most remarkable rescue operations in recent years; the rescue of over 40 schoolchildren and teachers abducted from schools in Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The victims were kidnapped on 15 May when armed men invaded the schools, triggering weeks of intensive military operations involving multiple security agencies.

Although two teachers were killed while in captivity, the remaining victims regained their freedom after spending 56 days in the kidnappers’ den.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Nnebeife personally coordinated the intelligence-driven operation, working with other security agencies to track the kidnappers without paying ransom.