A 2019 tweet by President Bola Tinubu’s Federal Ministry of Aviation saying people who presented forged certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be legally disqualified from elected offices as per the 1999 constitution has backfired after his principal became entangled in the same act.
“By the definition of ‘School Certificate or its equivalent’ in section 318 of the 1999 const. u don’t need a WAEC certificate to become president or governor, but if you present a FORGED WAEC or other certificate to INEC for any office, you will be disqualified,” Mr Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said in the tweet.
Exactly four years after the minister made the statement, it backfired after the United States-based Chicago State University (CSU), in a deposition, confirmed the certificate (or diploma) Mr Tinubu had submitted to INEC ahead of the presidential election did not originate from the institution, which confirmed the president committed forgery.
Although CSU confirmed Mr Tinubu, whose details about his life have been surrounded by discrepancy, indeed graduated from the American varsity but did commit forgery for submitting a fake diploma to INEC, an action that may possibly lead to his removal from office — a penalty which Mr Keyamo, a lawyer, openly supported.
Mr Tinubu’s forged certificate issue is expected to be the focal point of contention as Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s Peter Obi head to the Supreme Court to appeal the presidential election tribunal’s ruling that affirmed Mr Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress’ victory in the February 25 election.
Section 137 (1)(j) of the Nigerian Constitution (amended in 2010) specifically stated that no one would be legitimately elected president of Nigeria if the person “has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
