Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns about the ongoing controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s academic background. Atiku has filed a plea with a U.S. court to request clarification from Chicago State University regarding discrepancies in the certificates issued to President Tinubu. Atiku stated that without a clear explanation, it becomes challenging, if not impossible, for the public to comprehend Tinubu’s educational journey.
Taking to his verified Twitter account, Atiku wrote, “I woke up this morning wondering how we got to this cul de sac. In 1999, @officialABAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) claimed he attended St John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children Home School in Ibadan.” He continued, “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 Chicago State University.”
Atiku expressed his bewilderment and called for clarity on the matter, saying, “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 ask Tinubu how he attained this feat so that we can learn from his ingenuity.”
Both Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, are contesting the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that President Tinubu won the February 25 election.
In response, the Publicity Director of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bala Ibrahim, criticized Atiku’s approach, accusing him of being a poor sportsman who is using any means to criticize the president. Ibrahim stated, “Politicians have a way of doing things that at times makes one wonder whether they are doing it for the betterment of the polity or simply to spite the system as a whole.” He expressed his disappointment in Atiku’s actions, given his extensive experience in Nigerian politics, and suggested that Atiku is aligning with political opponents who lack credibility.
“He is one person who has faced countless accusations from political opponents. Almost all of them were quashed because they lacked merits, nonsensical and sometimes ridiculous,” Ibrahim added. He concluded that Atiku’s current behavior might not reflect well on his legacy and reputation.
In light of this exchange, the controversy surrounding President Tinubu’s academic history continues to spark debates within the political landscape.
