Mr Kabir Ibrahim Masari, the running mate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu has informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that his school certificates are missing.
This comes amid the controversy surrounding the supposed loss of Tinubu’s credentials.
The media had reported how the late legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi sued Tinubu for lying under oath that he attended Government College, Ibadan and the University of Chicago.
It reported that Tinubu had made the claim of loss of certificates in his filings with INEC in 1999 and 2003 when he ran for governor of Lagos State.
Amidst this controversy, his running mate Mr Masari also filed a sworn affidavit for the loss of some original documents to the nation’s electoral body.
According to the media that the affidavit the APC vice-presidential candidate submitted to INEC showed that he misplaced vital documents including the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of one plot KT 17522 in Katsina state, his Grade II certificate from Katsina Teachers College and his primary school certificate.
An affidavit sworn by Masari at the Supreme Court and submitted to INEC on July 17, 2022, read partly, “That sometimes (sic) in January 2021, while on transit within Wuse Area, FCT-Abuja, I discovered that my original Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of Plot, No KT 17522, GRA Katsina, Katsina State; Certificate of Kaduna State Development Centre from 1994 – 1995; Grade II Certificate from Katsina Teachers’ College (KTC) from 1978 – 1983 and First Leaving School Certificate issued by Masari Primary, Katsina State, from 1972 – 1978, got lost.”
“That all efforts made to trace the documents proved abortive hence this affidavit,” the affidavit added.
The electoral law mandates candidates to submit their personal credentials that will be published for public scrutiny ahead of elections.
The APC had submitted Masari’s name as Tinubu’s running mate for the 2023 presidential election to meet the June 17 deadline given by INEC for its submission.
Tinubu, however, later stated that he was still looking for a running mate, confirming reports that Masari’s name was submitted as a placeholder, pending when the party would find a running mate for Tinubu’s.
