Jonathan's PhD, Obi's degree changed nothing for Nigeria

APC member Alwan Hassan argues that academic qualifications do not equate to effective governance, citing the tenures of Goodluck Jonathan and Peter Obi as examples. He also defended President Bola Tinubu against ongoing certificate forgery allegations.
Why it matters
The debate over the necessity of formal education for political leadership remains a central point of contention in Nigerian political discourse.
A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alwan Hassan, has dismissed arguments that academic qualifications determine leadership competence, insisting that the educational credentials of prominent opposition figures have not translated into better governance or political judgment for Nigeria. Speaking on Channels TV Politics Today, Hassan argued that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s doctorate (PhD) and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s university degree (BSc) had not produced any significant national transformation. “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 failed to present substantive criticisms against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, relying instead on debates over his academic background.
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