A tweet by the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), H.E Atiku Abubakar, has sent shock waves across Nigeria’s political landscape, igniting controversy over the educational background of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a prominent political figure.
Atiku, who has a long-standing association with Tinubu spanning several decades, expressed bewilderment about Tinubu’s educational claims in a tweet on his verified Twitter page. The former Vice President questioned the consistency of Tinubu’s education journey, highlighting a disparity in the educational institutions he purportedly attended. In 1999, Tinubu claimed to have attended St. John’s Primary School in Lagos, Children Home School in Ibadan, Government College Ibadan, and later, Richard Daley College and Chicago State University (CSU) in the United States. However, in 2023, Tinubu apparently settled on only mentioning his attendance at Chicago State University.
Atiku’s tweet read: “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 Home School in Ibadan… 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.”
Recently, Atiku took legal action in a US court for the northern district of Illinois in Chicago, seeking an order to compel Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records. This move has added fuel to the fire of controversy surrounding Tinubu’s educational background, raising questions among those skeptical about his claims.
The case has sparked confusion among individuals associated with certificate forgery and those seeking legal technicalities to maintain their grip on power. As Nigerians eagerly await the unfolding of events, there is a sense of anticipation regarding the revelation of the truth behind the educational claims.
The controversy has reignited the public’s interest in the integrity of electoral candidates and the transparency of their credentials. Nigerians are keen to witness the outcome of Atiku’s legal pursuit and whether it will shed light on what appears to be an incongruity in Tinubu’s academic history.
