Chicago Varsity Certificate Saga: Tinubu ‘Pleads’ Clerical Error For Discrepancies

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – With the legal battles over his educational credentials still making the rounds in court, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has blamed a clerical error for the noticeable discrepancies on the certificate issued to him by the Chicago State University.

Filings by his counsels, Oluwole Afolabi and Christopher Carmichael, at the United States (US) Court claimed that an unidentified clerk of the University made the mistake on the date stated by the school on his recently-issued certificate, thereby creating “the appearance of differences.”

Tinubu made the claims while responding to a suit by former Vice-President and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar seeking the disclosure of his academic records from the university.

A US court for the northern district of Illinois in Chicago had given Tinubu until August 23, to make a formal filing on why his records should not be released to the former vice president.

While President Tinubu claimed to hold a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the Chicago State University, the PDP flag bearer in the 25th February 2023 presidential election, is alleging that Tinubu’s academic records were forged.

However, making their submissions before the court, President Tinubu’s lawyers said; “Unfortunately, in responding to the illegal and invalid subpoena, CSU made several errors. CSU issued a new diploma for Bola A. Tinubu, but incorrectly wrote the date of graduation as June 27, 1979.

“The correct date was June 22, 1979, but that scrivener’s error – along with a change in the CSU logo, the font on the diploma, and leadership at CSU who signed the diploma created the appearance of differences between an earlier issued diploma and the one issued in response to the 2022 subpoena.”

Also in his request before the court, the Wazirin Adamawa is seeking information relating to the credentials submitted by President Tinubu to CSU for the processing of admission into the university.

Meanwhile, Chicago State University (CSU) has promised to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu if the Court grants the order.

According to a document cited in the media space, the institution urged the Court to direct “only limited and targeted discovery” of the information sought by Atiku Abubakar through an order compelling CSU to release the academic records of Tinubu.