Bello Mohammed, President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominee from Sokoto, says he submitted his O’ level certificate with just two credits alongside his CV before the Senate screening committee because he did not want to bog down the lawmakers with his other certificates.

Mr Mohammed disclosed this on Monday when asked how he gained admission into a university with a secondary school certificate in which he had just two credits out of five subjects he sat.

“Sir, on the issue of qualification, I have other secondary school results which I have all passed but have not attached to my CV because we are talking of (a) secondary school certificate,” stated the ministerial nominee. “I want to remind distinguished senator, which he very much knows, that with the qualification of secondary school certificate as enshrined in the constitution, you can stand in election up to the presidential election.”

He added, “So, I didn’t bother you with many certificates, but I know I have the qualification for that.”

Quizzed further on why he decided to attach a certificate in which he failed to his CV before the Senate, Mr Mohammed said, “My first sitting of secondary school certificate was two credit passes. What I’m trying to say is that I have sat another examination, and I have passed, but I don’t want to attach another qualification.”

However, he provided no evidence of another secondary school certificate with credit in five subjects, a minimum requirement for admission into a higher institution in Nigeria. 

If cleared by the Senate, Mr Mohammed will be a minister in Mr Tinubu’s government. 

Citing documents released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peoples Gazette in June 2022 reported how Mr Tinubu told INEC that he did not attend primary and secondary schools.

The former Lagos governor claimed he had two degrees from two American universities, which he further stated had been stolen by unknown soldiers during the military junta of the 1990s.