Tinubu’s ‘Dodgy’ Educational Background Should Baffle Nigerians – Atiku

Nigeria’s former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, is not letting off the heat in dragging President Bola Tinubu over his controversial academic records.

Currently challenging the genuineness of the degree certificate issued by Chicago State University, in the United States to Tinubu, the PDP flag bearer said the president’s vague academic record still remains a major source of confusion to him and many other well-meaning Nigerians.

Atiku, who took to social media handle X, formally Twitter, accused Tinubu of dubiously spurning both primary and secondary school education to gain admission to Chicago State University, noting that Tinubu had in 1999 claimed that he attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children’s Home School in Ibadan.

Further alleging that President Tinubu’s academic record in 2023 was different from what was presented in 1999, the former Vice President noted that he is still wondering how Tinubu, by his submission, could have attended Chicago State University without primary and secondary school education.

According to the tweet; “I woke up this morning wondering how we got to this cul de sac. In 1999, @officialABAT claimed he attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children’s Home School in Ibadan.

“According to him, his next port of call in his educational journey was Government College Ibadan and, Richard Daley College and Chicago State University in the United States.”

“Curiously, in 2023, Tinubu settled with attending only @ChicagoState. I am scratching my head. How is that possible? Methinks that all well-meaning Nigerians should be as confused as I am with Tinubu’s declaration that he had no primary and secondary education, yet he has a university degree. You may wish to #AskTinubu how he attained this feat so that we can learn from his ingenuity 😆 -AA,” Atiku wrote.

Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election, Atiku has remained resolute in challenging the poll’s results at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) which is expected to give a date for its ruling on the cases before it.

In raising several questions about the President’s academic record, the Wazirin Adamawa also approached a United States (US) Court in the northern district of Illinois in Chicago, for an order compelling the Chicago State University (CSU) to release Tinubu’s academic records for public scrutiny.

The Court’s records indicate that documents sought by the PDP candidate, through his counsel, Angela M. Liu, include the record of Tinubu’s admission and acceptance at the university, dates of attendance including degrees, awards, and honours attained at the university, among others.

Also informing the Court that the subpoena was meant to test the truth and veracity of Tinubu’s claims, Atiku stated that currently the President of Nigeria, Tinubu “is facing various court proceedings concerning his election and the authenticity of documents relating to his attendance at Chicago State University.”

Similarly, a document now in the public domain indicates the Chicago State University as saying it does not “understand” why Tinubu’s academic records “could possibly have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country”.

The institution, however, averred in the said official document that once an order is granted by a Court in the US, it would then be in a position to make public Tinubu’s academic record as demanded by the law.