Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
NIGERIA, ABUJA – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alwan Hassan, has dismissed claims that academic qualifications are a measure of leadership competence, arguing that the educational credentials of some prominent opposition figures have neither translated into improved governance nor demonstrated superior political judgment in Nigeria.
Truth Live News Media reports that he disclosed this while speaking on Channels TV Politics Today.
Hassan argued that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s doctoral degree and the bachelor’s degree held by the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have not translated into any significant national transformation or measurable progress for Nigeria.
“Tell me what Jonathan’s PhD has done to Nigeria. Tell me how Obi’s degree (BSc) has helped improve his communication skills.
“Tell me what it has done to Atiku to help him navigate and know the time to contest or when to concede for the best person of the time,” he said.
According to Hassan, the opposition has struggled to offer substantive critiques of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, choosing instead to focus heavily on controversies surrounding his academic credentials rather than policy issues and governance outcomes.
He further defended Tinubu against allegations concerning his Chicago State University certificate, stating that the institution has not issued any official declaration confirming that the document submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was forged.
“There is nowhere that Chicago State University says the certificate President Tinubu submitted to INEC is forged. What the Constitution says is a school certificate or its equivalent.
“An equivalent of a school certificate is the ability to read and write,” Hassan said.
The APC stalwart pointed out that leadership should be judged by performance rather than academic credentials, insisting that educational qualifications alone do not guarantee effective governance.
