Atiku Abubakar’s team, representing the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has strongly criticized the federal government’s recent suspension of degree certificate evaluation and accreditation from Benin Republic and Togo. Describing the move as “deceptive,” they argue that it overlooks a more extensive issue.
Abdul Rasheeth, spokesperson for Atiku, took to social media to express their dissatisfaction, accusing the government of hypocrisy and selective decision-making. Rasheeth contends, “Suspending accreditation for universities in Benin and Togo is nothing but deception! This isn’t the first time the FG is doing that!”
Highlighting Chicago State University (CSU) and its affiliates as an example, Rasheeth suggests that institutions engaged in “nefarious means and unconscionable methods” of issuing degrees are not limited to those in Benin and Togo.
The roots of this reaction lie in Atiku’s prolonged legal battle against President Bola Tinubu, who secured victory in the 2023 election. Atiku had contested Tinubu’s eligibility, citing alleged discrepancies in his educational credentials, specifically questioning documents from CSU.
In 2023, Atiku’s legal team argued that documents indicated Tinubu attended Government College Lagos in 1970, two years before the school’s official establishment, rendering him ineligible for the presidency. However, the Supreme Court rejected the alleged evidence, upholding the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and affirming Tinubu’s election victory.
