President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is facing renewed pressure over his educational records after Nigerian lawyer and African Democratic Congress chieftain Kalu Kalu petitioned the European Commission in Brussels over allegations involving the President’s academic credentials, certificates submitted to Nigeria’s electoral commission and what the lawyer described as a threat to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
The latest development has brought back a controversy that has followed Tinubu since the 2023 presidential election, particularly the dispute over a certificate he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as evidence of his qualification from Chicago State University.
The issue has attracted renewed attention because Chicago State University registrar Caleb Westberg testified under oath in the United States in 2023 that the specific diploma submitted by Tinubu to INEC was not issued by the university.
Westberg told lawyers during a court ordered deposition that Tinubu attended Chicago State University and graduated in 1979. But when shown the diploma that Tinubu had submitted to INEC, Westberg said CSU had no record of issuing that particular diploma.
The certificate was dated June 22, 1979 and was submitted to INEC on June 17, 2022, as part of Tinubu’s documentation for the 2023 presidential election.
Westberg also pointed to differences between the document submitted to INEC and diplomas issued by CSU.
According to his testimony, the diploma presented to INEC differed in its logo, seal and signatures from genuine CSU diplomas. He also raised questions about the people whose signatures appeared on the disputed document and whether they held the relevant positions at CSU at the time.
The CSU registrar further testified that Tinubu had not applied for a replacement diploma and that CSU had no record of issuing the disputed document.
In one exchange during the deposition, Westberg was asked whether CSU had a record of issuing the diploma submitted to INEC. His answer was simply: “Correct”, confirming that the university had no such record.
That testimony has become a major part of the continuing demand for an investigation.
But the CSU evidence also contains an important distinction.
Chicago State University confirmed that Tinubu was its student and graduated from the institution in 1979. The university’s confirmation of his graduation is therefore separate from the dispute over the particular diploma submitted to INEC.
In other words, the controversy is not simply whether Tinubu attended CSU. The university confirmed that he did.
The major question is whether the particular certificate presented to INEC as evidence of that qualification was actually issued by Chicago State University.
The controversy has now returned to the political centre ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Kalu Kalu has taken the matter to the European Commission in Brussels, asking European authorities to consider allegations concerning Tinubu’s academic credentials and what he described as a subversion of Nigeria’s constitutional order. Reports say the petition also refers to the controversial $460,000 US forfeiture matter and asks for action aimed at supporting constitutional democracy in Nigeria.
The petition does not mean the European Union has already found Tinubu guilty or ordered any action against him. It is a petition submitted by Kalu asking European authorities to consider the allegations and respond within their powers.
The European petition comes as the controversy is also returning to the Nigerian courts.
Atiku Takes NYSC Certificate Dispute To Court
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress have filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop Tinubu from contesting the 2027 presidential election over allegations concerning an NYSC discharge certificate submitted to INEC.
Atiku personally appeared at the Federal High Court registry in Abuja and swore to an affidavit supporting the case.
At the centre of the suit is an NYSC discharge certificate which Atiku alleges was submitted to INEC in connection with Tinubu’s presidential candidacy.
According to the affidavit, the disputed certificate bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle” rather than “Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” The plaintiffs argue that the difference raises questions about whether the certificate belongs to Tinubu and whether it was genuinely obtained by him.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether the certificate is genuine and whether the alleged discrepancy affects Tinubu’s constitutional qualification to contest the 2027 presidential election.
They are also asking the court to examine relevant INEC documents connected with Tinubu’s candidacy.
The case relies on Section 137(1)(j) of the Nigerian Constitution, which concerns presidential disqualification where a person has presented a forged certificate to INEC.
No final court judgment has established that Tinubu forged the NYSC certificate.
The allegations are now before the court for determination.
Bode George Brings Back The Ibadan Investigation
The controversy has also reopened questions about Tinubu’s primary and secondary education.
Former PDP national deputy chairman Bode George has for years challenged Tinubu to produce his primary, secondary and university certificates.
George has said that during an earlier election period, investigators went to Ibadan to verify schools Tinubu had identified as part of his educational history.
According to George’s account, the investigators checked schools in Ibadan, including Government College, Ibadan, and looked into claims concerning Tinubu’s earlier education. George has said the investigation failed to produce the records he expected to find and has continued to challenge Tinubu to produce the certificates.
George’s account remains his allegation and recollection of the earlier investigation and has not itself been established as a court finding.
But his comments have gained fresh attention because questions about Tinubu’s earlier education have again become part of the current political and legal debate.
INEC Records Add Another Question
The issue of Tinubu’s primary and secondary education has become particularly prominent because of the information contained in INEC’s election records.
Tinubu’s published electoral documents have identified his university qualification from Chicago State University, while questions have continued over the absence of primary and secondary school qualifications in the published records.
Those questioning the documents argue that the absence of those qualifications raises questions about the completeness of the educational history presented by the President.
However, the absence of primary and secondary qualifications from an INEC publication does not by itself prove that Tinubu never attended those schools.
The same distinction applies to the CSU controversy.
The CSU registrar’s sworn testimony that the particular diploma presented to INEC was not issued by CSU is significant evidence in the dispute, but whether Tinubu knowingly presented a forged certificate is ultimately a matter for the appropriate legal authorities to determine.
Three Major Certificate Questions
The controversy now centres on three major areas.
The first is the Chicago State University diploma.
CSU confirms that Tinubu attended the university and graduated in 1979. However, CSU registrar Caleb Westberg testified under oath that the specific diploma submitted to INEC was not issued by the university and that CSU had no record of issuing that document.
The second is Tinubu’s primary and secondary education.
Bode George says investigators went to Ibadan to check schools Tinubu had identified in his earlier educational history and has continued to challenge the President to produce his certificates. The current debate has been strengthened by questions surrounding the educational information contained in Tinubu’s INEC records.
The third is the NYSC certificate.
Atiku and the ADC are now asking the Federal High Court to examine an NYSC discharge certificate they allege was submitted to INEC under the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle” rather than “Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” They want the court to determine whether the certificate belongs to Tinubu and whether the issue affects his eligibility to contest the 2027 election.
What Is Established And What Remains To Be Decided?
The public record contains several important facts.
Chicago State University confirms that Tinubu attended the university and graduated in 1979.
Its registrar also testified under oath that the specific diploma submitted to INEC was not issued by CSU and that the university had no record of issuing that document.
Atiku and the ADC have now formally taken the NYSC certificate dispute to the Federal High Court and are seeking Tinubu’s disqualification from the 2027 presidential election.
Kalu Kalu has separately submitted a petition to the European Commission concerning Tinubu’s academic credentials and what he describes as a threat to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
Bode George has also publicly revived questions about Tinubu’s earlier education and said investigators went to Ibadan to check the schools connected to Tinubu’s earlier claims.
What remains to be finally determined is whether any of the disputed documents were knowingly falsified, who produced them, whether Tinubu knowingly submitted a forged document to INEC and what legal consequences, if any, follow from the evidence.
Those questions are now being raised in both Nigerian legal proceedings and the fresh European petition.
Pressure Builds Ahead Of 2027
The latest developments have turned what was once mainly a political controversy into a renewed legal and international dispute.
For Tinubu, the controversy represents another challenge as he prepares for the 2027 presidential election.
For many Nigerians, the questions are straightforward: Which certificates were submitted to INEC? Who issued them? Are they genuine? What happened to the primary and secondary school records? Why does the disputed NYSC certificate carry a different name? And what did INEC do to verify the documents?
Kalu Kalu wants European authorities to consider his allegations and support what he describes as the restoration of constitutional democracy in Nigeria.
Atiku and the ADC want the Nigerian court to determine whether the NYSC certificate controversy affects Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 election.
Bode George continues to demand answers about Tinubu’s earlier educational history.
And the CSU evidence remains a central part of the dispute because the university recognises Tinubu as a graduate while its registrar testified that the particular diploma submitted to INEC was not issued by CSU.
Until the courts or other competent authorities make final determinations, the allegations remain contested.
But with the CSU testimony, the disputed INEC diploma, the NYSC certificate controversy, Bode George’s account of the Ibadan investigation and the fresh petition to the European Commission now converging, the long running questions surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s certificates are once again at the centre of Nigeria’s political debate.
