The 2023 presidential election in Nigeria has been marred by allegations of forgery and fraud. The candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), President Bola Tinubu, has accused his main challenger, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of using fake primary and secondary school certificates to contest the election.
In a counter affidavit filed at the Supreme Court on Thursday, October 12, 2023, Tinubu claimed that Abubakar submitted fake credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the election.
He alleged that Abubakar used different names on his primary and secondary school certificates, which raised doubts about his identity and eligibility.
Tinubu said that Abubakar’s primary school certificate bore the name “Atiku Kojoli”, while his 1965 West African School Certificate and General Certificate of Examination (WASSCE) bore the name “Siddiq Abubakar”. He argued that these names were different from the name “Atiku Abubakar”, which he claimed to be his in his affidavit to INEC.
Tinubu also challenged Abubakar to produce evidence from credible institutions that could verify his certificates.
He said: “It is the 1st appellant’s acclaimed primary school certificate bearing the name ‘Atiku Kojoli’ and his purported 1965 West African School Certificate and General Certificate of Examination bearing the name ‘Siddiq Abubakar’ (as opposed to the name ‘Atiku Abubakar’, which he claims to Nigerians and INEC to be his) that are yet to be explained by Jeda Primary School Adamawa (which he claimed to have attended), the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, West African Examination Council or such other credible institution with the capacity to so do.”
Abubakar, on the other hand, has filed a motion at the apex court to introduce fresh evidence of forgery against Tinubu. He presented a deposition of Caleb Westberg, the registrar of Chicago State University (CSU), who stated that he could not authenticate the certificate Tinubu tendered to INEC because the institution did not issue it.
Abubakar’s motion was filed on October 5, 2023, after the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal had dismissed all his petitions challenging Tinubu’s victory in September. The tribunal had ruled that Abubakar failed to prove his allegations of electoral malpractice, irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
However, Tinubu’s team of lawyers are opposing Abubakar’s motion, arguing that it was filed out of time and that it should not be considered by the Supreme Court. They urged the court to uphold the tribunal’s verdict and affirm Tinubu’s election as valid.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the appeals of both parties and deliver its judgment soon. The outcome of the case will determine who will lead Africa’s most populous nation for the next four years.
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