In a press conference held in Abuja, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the 2023 general elections, expressed his concerns about the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s certificate controversy on Nigeria’s international image.
Obi emphasized that the issue has also affected the perception of the average Nigerian both within and outside the country.
He stated, “The ongoing matter with Chicago University and the persisting doubts regarding Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s identity have only worsened Nigeria’s already tarnished global reputation.”
Obi further explained, “Outsiders who are unaware of the facts now view all Nigerians as potential fraudsters, forgers, and identity thieves. This unnecessary controversy has caused unnecessary embarrassment on a global scale.”
Previously, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, had obtained access to Tinubu’s education records from Chicago State University (CSU) through a court subpoena to counter the President’s reluctance to disclose them.
The released records, which were first made public on October 3, revealed discrepancies between the 1979 CSU certificate submitted by Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the samples of certificates issued to students by the university during that same year.
On October 5, 2023, Atiku addressed a press conference to discuss the ongoing certificate saga.
