A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kalu Kalu, has accused President Bola Tinubu of submitting forged certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in past presidential elections.
Kalu made the allegation on Thursday while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he spoke about the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s academic qualifications and documents submitted to INEC.
The ADC chieftain claimed that Tinubu had submitted what he described as forged certificates to the electoral commission in 1999 and during the 2023 presidential election.
He further alleged that similar documents were submitted in the latest electoral process.
Kalu said the issue was important because Nigeria’s Constitution sets requirements for people seeking to contest the presidency, including the submission of valid qualifications and compliance with electoral laws.
According to him, a candidate who presents a forged certificate to INEC is not qualified to contest an election.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says no person shall be qualified to contest for the office of the president if that person has presented a forged certificate to INEC, that is the law,” he said.
Kalu insisted that the documents associated with Tinubu were not genuine and challenged the President, his representatives and others involved in the matter to respond to his claims.
“Today, Tinubu has submitted forged certificates and I would list them now,” he said.
The ADC chieftain said his allegation was not limited to the 2023 presidential election, but also involved documents and declarations allegedly made by Tinubu when he contested elections in the past.
He specifically referred to the 1999 election and alleged that Tinubu had made a false declaration concerning the primary school he attended.
“The substance of this issue is did Tinubu in 1999 submit forged certificates to INEC? The answer is yes, did Tinubu submit forged certificates to INEC in the 2023 election? The answer is yes,” Kalu said.
He further alleged that Tinubu had declared in 1999 that he attended Saint Paul’s Primary School in Ibadan.
According to Kalu, that declaration was false.
“I’m saying it here on national television for the whole world to know that Tinubu in 1999 deposed that he attended Saint Paul’s Primary School in Ibadan which is false, let Tinubu, his handlers, and Ogala come out and say that it’s not false,” he said.
The latest allegation comes amid renewed public discussion over the academic records and certificates of the President.
Questions over Tinubu’s educational background and documents have featured in Nigerian political debates for several years, particularly around election periods.
The controversy has also involved documents submitted to INEC by political candidates, which are required as part of the process for seeking elective office.
Under Nigeria’s electoral system, candidates are expected to submit relevant information and documents to INEC as part of their nomination process. The commission uses the information provided by candidates in carrying out its constitutional and legal responsibilities for elections.
The issue of qualification for public office has repeatedly generated political and legal disputes in Nigeria, with rival political parties and candidates often challenging the credentials or eligibility of opponents.
Tinubu’s academic record has similarly been the subject of political debate and legal challenges, particularly since his emergence as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2023 election.
He eventually won the 2023 presidential election and was declared President-elect by INEC after defeating candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party, among others.
The election results were challenged in court by some opposition candidates, but the Supreme Court upheld Tinubu’s election in October 2023.
The latest comments by Kalu, however, focus specifically on the allegation that forged documents were submitted to INEC.
The allegation is a serious one because the use of forged documents in an electoral process can have legal consequences if established by the appropriate authorities or courts.
Kalu’s remarks also come as the ADC continues to position itself as a major opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party has attracted political figures from different opposition groups as part of efforts to build a stronger challenge to the ruling APC.
As political activities ahead of the next general election gather momentum, issues concerning the qualifications, records and conduct of political leaders are expected to remain part of public debate.
However, allegations of forgery are matters that require evidence and proper legal determination.
The claims made by Kalu on television remain allegations and have not, on their own, established that Tinubu submitted forged documents to INEC.
For such allegations to result in legal action, relevant authorities would have to examine the documents in question, establish their origin and authenticity, and determine whether any law was violated.
The President and his representatives would also have the opportunity to respond to the specific claims made by the ADC chieftain.
The controversy highlights the importance of transparency in the submission of candidates’ records during elections, particularly for offices as important as the presidency.
It also highlights the role of INEC and the courts in addressing disputes over candidates’ qualifications and documents.
For now, Kalu has maintained that the documents he referred to were forged and challenged Tinubu and those representing him to dispute his claims.
The controversy also places renewed attention on the records submitted by political candidates to INEC and the need for accurate and verifiable information in Nigeria’s electoral process.