Adetokunbo Pearse, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Lagos governorship candidate and former lecturer at Chicago State University (CSU), has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of dishonesty over his educational background, insisting that the president never attended the academic programme he claimed to have completed at the American institution.
Pearse made the remarks during an appearance on News Central Television’s Breakfast Central programme, where he questioned Tinubu’s educational claims and described him as a professional liar.
The former lecturer said he taught at Chicago State University for five years, between 1985 and 1990, during which Tinubu allegedly claimed to have attended the institution.
He insisted that he was the director of the very programme Tinubu claimed to have attended and maintained that his position at the university gave him knowledge of its academic records and programmes.
According to Pearse, he knew Tinubu never enrolled in the programme, despite the president’s claim of having studied at the institution.
Pearse also recalled that in 1999, when the late Funsho Williams sought information about Tinubu’s academic records, individuals were sent to him because he possessed details concerning the matter.
He further alleged that Tinubu submitted the names of schools he never attended to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that the president lacked integrity.
The comments have reopened debate over Tinubu’s educational background, particularly the documents submitted to INEC and questions surrounding his academic history.
However, during legal proceedings in the United States in 2023, CSU officials stated that the institution did not possess the specific diploma Tinubu submitted to INEC. The university explained that it did not typically retain students’ original diplomas.
The university’s registrar, Caleb Westberg, also testified under oath that Tinubu attended and graduated from the institution.
The distinction between CSU’s confirmation of Tinubu’s attendance and the questions raised about the particular diploma submitted to INEC has remained central to the controversy.
Pearse’s latest remarks have introduced another claim into the debate, with the former lecturer questioning Tinubu’s alleged participation in the specific academic programme he said he directed.
His account, however, does not change Chicago State University’s official confirmation that Tinubu attended and graduated from the institution.
The controversy surrounding Tinubu’s academic records has remained a subject of public and political debate since his entry into Nigerian politics and has resurfaced as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
