Politics
Like Tinubu, Atiku, Okowa, others inform INEC of missing certificates

A number of candidates running for offices in the country have reportedly told the Independent National Electoral Commission that their academic credentials are missing.
A report by the Nigerian Tribune lists Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate; Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP vice-presidential candidate; Sani Yabagi, Action Democratic Party (ADP) presidential candidate; AbdulMalik Ado Ibrahim, Young Progressives Party (YPP) presidential candidate; and Kabiru Masari, “placeholder” for the VP slot of the APC, have all given reasons why they do not have some of their original academic credentials.
Tinubu
In an affidavit, Tinubu, former governor of Lagos, reportedly said he went into exile during the reign of the late Sani Abacha, former head of state, and at the time he was away from the country his property was looted with his certificates missing.
“I went on self-exile from October 1994 to October 1998, when I returned and discovered that all my property, including all the documents relating to my qualifications and my certificates were looted by unknown persons,” he was quoted as saying in the affidavit to INEC.
Atiku
The PDP presidential candidate, in an affidavit presented to the electoral commission, reportedly said he wished to be known by his current name because his WAEC certificate carries the name “Siddiq Abubakar”.
The former vice-president reportedly declared GCE certificate obtained in 1965 and a master’s degree obtained in 2021.
YPP presidential candidate
The YPP presidential candidate reportedly said he lost his original B.Sc and diploma certificates.
“[I lost my] original BSc certificate issued by American College of Los Angeles, dated 1988; High School Diploma issued to me by Langley High, Norwich, UK dated 1979 and official degree transcript,” Ado Ibrahim reportedly said in an affidavit to INEC.
“That all efforts made to trace the said documents have proved abortive.”
ADP candidate Yabagi
In an affidavit, the ADP standard-bearer reportedly changed the name on his University of Colombia (US) certificate obtained in 1978 from “Sani Yusuf” to “Yabagi Yusuf Sani”.
Okowa
In an affidavit, the PDP vice-presidential candidate reportedly said his WAEC certificate obtained in 1974 is missing.
“That I personally enrolled and sat for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) West African School Certificate (WASC) examinations in the year 1974 at Edo College, Benin City, in now Edo state,” he was reported to have said in the document.
“That I passed the said examinations and was subsequently issued the said certificate therefore. That the original of the said certificate issued to me is now missing, lost and cannot be found.
“That I make this oath for the records and do so knowing and believing the same to be true and in accordance with the Oaths Law of the Bendel State as applicable to Delta state.”
Masari

Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim Masari
Masari, the placeholder for the VP slot of the APC, reportedy said he lost his Katsina teachers college and primary school certificates while in transit in Abuja.
“That sometime in January 2021, while in transit within Wuse Area, FCT, Abuja, I discovered that my original Certificate of Occupancy of plot NoKT 17522, GRA Katsina Estate; Certificate of Kaduna State Development Centre from 1994-95; Grade 11 Certificate from Katsina Teachers College from 1979-83 and First Leaving School Leaving School Certificate issued by Masari Primary School Katsina State from 1972-78 got lost,” he was reported to have said.
“That all efforts made to trace the documents proved abortive hence this affidavit. That this affidavit is required for record purpose and for all authorities and persons concerned to take note.”
Politics
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat

2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has officially announced his intention to contest for re-election in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Sani made the declaration on Sunday while delivering his Eid-el-Fitr message at his residence in Kaduna. The former senator, known for his vocal stance on national issues, expressed his commitment to representing the people of Kaduna Central once again and addressing key challenges facing the region.
“Any politician contesting an election depends on the political equation that determines the position to vie for. If the conditions are right and the equations are favorable, I will offer myself to contest specifically for the Kaduna Central senatorial district,” he stated.
He further emphasised that his ambition remains secondary to ensuring the re-election of Governor Uba Sani for a second term.
“For now, our priority is to see that the incumbent governor, Uba Sani, is re-elected. We will work with all our might and strength to achieve this. We know there will be challenges and opposition, but we are well prepared for all forces,” he added.
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Sani also used the occasion to urge Muslims to pray for Nigeria’s peace and unity during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations. Additionally, he condemned the recent killing of hunters in Edo State, calling on security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators.
“If citizens cannot move freely across the country, then we are not truly a nation. If individuals take the law into their hands for any reason, it means there is no government or authority,” he lamented.
He called on all Nigerians who desire a better country to work towards peace and unity for the preservation of democracy, despite the challenges being experienced.
Sani also urged the government to uphold fundamental human rights, particularly the right to life, as a crucial step towards national stability and development.
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
Politics
Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity

Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity
Lere Olayinka, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media has alleged that one Nigerian that can never be found in the gathering of men of character and integrity is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Olayinka said this while reacting to statement by the Atiku Media Office that Atiku rejected the choice of Wike as his Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election of his character.
This was in spite of the fact that a committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to select a Vice Presidential candidate for the 2023 election had recommended Wike.
However, Olayinka said rather than Wike, it’s Atiku that that lacked character as attested to by his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, in his book; My Watch.
According to Olayinka, it was already too late for Atiku to buy ‘character and integrity that he has lacked from birth’.
He said no one could have knew Atiku better than President Olusegun Obasanjo, under whom he served as Vice President for eight years.
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Olayinka said; “One of the reasons Wike first rejected Atiku’s offer to have him as his running mate was his not too impressive character and integrity rating, until he was prevaied upon. And this, Atiku exhibited when he rejected the decision of committee the party set up to pick his running mate even after telling everyone that the decision of the committee will be bidding on him.
“Now, after his lies that he picked his running mate based on the committee report that placed the former Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as number one was bursted, he is now sermonising about character and integrity, which he, himself does not have.
“Funny that the same Atiku, that his boss described as a ‘blatant and shameless liar,’ is the one talking about character.
“For the records, Obasanjo said in his book, ‘My Watch’ that ‘What I did not know, which came out glaringly later, was his parental background which was somewhat shadowy, his propensity to corruption, his tendency to disloyalty, his inability to say and stick to the truth all the time, a propensity for poor judgement, his belief and reliance on marabouts, his lack of transparency, his trust in money to buy his way out on all issues and his readiness to sacrifice morality, integrity, propriety, truth and national interest for self and selfish interest.’
“Up till today, Atiku has not debunked what his boss said about him.
“Unlike Atiku, Wike does not hide or pretend on where he stands on issues. He is not one that will do a tweet on major issues and rush to delete it. He didn’t pretend about his position on the 2023 election and he won’t pretend on where he will stand in 2027.
“It is Atiku, that should start being truthful and reliable, especially now that he is old, because everything should not be about desperation to be president.”
Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity
Politics
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election

Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that he does not know if he will contest the presidency in 2027.
Atiku made the remark in a yet-to-be-aired interview for a television show, Untold Stories, with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, scheduled for broadcast today but exclusively obtained by Daily Trust.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders to wrest power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
However, there has been widespread speculation about who will lead the coalition and emerge as its presidential candidate, with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, being considered among its key figures.
When asked if he would be running for the presidency in 2027, Atiku said: “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”
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Atiku, who has run for the presidency a record six times, did not rule out the possibility of contesting again in 2027.
“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time.
“We had a similar, you know, what would I say, merger in 2014. About four of us or is it three? We all ran for president and one of us emerged, and we all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he said.
He agreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assertion that Nigeria’s democracy is deteriorating, saying the situation is “very dire.”
“No doubt about that,” he said.
Atiku also expressed his disappointment with the country’s political leadership.
“The next generation after me, many of them had been governors, had been senators. Instead of me to see an improvement in the level of governance at the state level and so on and so forth, I don’t see it. So I feel a little bit distressed.”
Atiku also questioned the credibility of the current legislative leadership, especially as it relates to the National Assembly’s ratification of the state of emergency in Rivers State
“I am not surprised,” he said, alleging that they are corrupt.
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
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