The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA) has approached the Federal High Court in Kano, asking the court to stop President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from contesting the 2027 presidential election over allegations of certificate forgery.
In a suit marked FHC/K/CS/312/2026, the group named Tinubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Chicago State University as defendants.
According to court documents obtained by Daily Trust, the organisation alleged that Tinubu submitted forged academic credentials from Chicago State University and an invalid National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to INEC ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
The plaintiff further questioned Tinubu’s educational history, claiming he could not have graduated from Government College Lagos as stated because the institution was established in 1974, four years after the year he reportedly completed his studies there.
CFRPA argued that the President does not possess a valid secondary school certificate, which it described as the minimum educational requirement for anyone seeking Nigeria’s highest office.
The group also accused INEC of failing to respond to a petition it submitted on June 19, 2026, requesting clarification on Tinubu’s qualifications.
As part of its case, the organisation referenced the 2023 ruling of a United States court in In Re: Application of Atiku Abubakar (No. 23 CV 05099), which ordered Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records.
According to the plaintiff, the documents released by the university contained discrepancies and false entries, including what it described as a forged University of Cambridge General Certificate of Education.
The group is asking the court to declare Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate forged, direct INEC to disqualify him from the 2027 presidential election, compel Chicago State University to remove his name from its records, and issue a perpetual injunction preventing INEC from accepting or uploading his name as a candidate.
The plaintiff also filed witness statements, affidavits and copies of letters sent to the NYSC and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, seeking official clarification on the disputed NYSC certificate.
The case is yet to be heard. Tinubu, INEC and Chicago State University have not publicly responded to the latest court action
