A Lagos-based Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward chairman, Hon. Paul West, has publicly advised party members nationwide to stop pursuing President Bola Tinubu's academic certificate controversy as a political strategy and instead channel their efforts toward winning the 2027 general elections. West, who chairs the Ward Chairmen Forum in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, made the call in an open letter addressed to PDP members and made available to Legit.ng on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
Why the certificate strategy has failed
West argued that the certificate debate has exhausted its legal and political utility, pointing to a series of court outcomes that he said conclusively closed the eligibility question. The Lagos State House of Assembly cleared Tinubu in 1999, the Supreme Court affirmed his presidency in 2023, Chicago State University confirmed under oath that Tinubu attended and graduated, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accepted his filings. "The legal door on eligibility is closed," West wrote, adding that fresh court filings, subpoenas, or television debates would not alter that outcome.
He highlighted the political cost of the certificate obsession, noting that while PDP members held press conferences over diploma fonts and chased documents in Chicago, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was organising at the polling unit level in Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, and Lagos. Meanwhile, ordinary Nigerians were waiting for answers on food prices, fuel, security, and jobs.
Four actions West wants PDP to take
The ward chairman laid out four specific steps for the party ahead of 2027. First, he called for closing the certificate chapter entirely, describing the strategy as exhausted legally, politically, and publicly. Second, he urged members to return to substantive opposition politics by presenting a clear alternative economic plan and communicating the party's stance on restructuring, state police, power devolution, and the rising cost of living.
Third, West stressed the need to rebuild the party from the ward level upward. He asked national and zonal officers to return to their home wards, listen to constituents, resolve divisions within state chapters, mentor young members, and support candidates capable of winning on merit rather than through the disqualification of opponents. Fourth, he called for building broad alliances with Nigerians outside the PDP who share a desire for better governance, noting that the party has candidates at every level from the presidency down to state assemblies.
West's message to party faithful
"President Tinubu is a political opponent, not an enemy of the state," West wrote. "If we believe his policies are failing, let us prove it with superior ideas and superior organisation, not with endless litigation over a 1999 Form CF.001 or the blank 2022 Form EC9." He closed by reminding the party that its 1999 electoral victory was built on offering hope, and argued that the same approach is the only realistic route back to power.
Background: APC and ADC clash over Tinubu's credentials
The call comes amid renewed controversy over Tinubu's educational records. On August 3, 2026, APC and ADC members clashed on live television over whether Tinubu can produce primary and secondary school certificates to back his claimed academic history. Nigerians took to social media to react, with many questioning why the issue triggers hostility from APC loyalists.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that INEC published Tinubu's 2027 nomination documents listing only his Chicago State University degree, with sections for primary and secondary school qualifications left blank. Senior lawyers and opposition parties raised questions about the omission, citing constitutional requirements for presidential candidates. INEC said it does not verify the authenticity of credentials, adding that the publication is meant for public scrutiny under the Electoral Act 2026.
