BBC Report Claims Tinubu’s Certificate Is Authentic

In a report released by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Wednesday, it has been revealed that there is no proof that President Bola Tinubu forged his academic record at Chicago State University (CSU). This revelation comes in the midst of controversy surrounding Tinubu’s academic credentials. Recently, Chicago State University had released and deposited Tinubu’s certificate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as requested by a US court in the context of the 2023 Nigerian presidential election. While President Tinubu and his aides have consistently maintained the authenticity of his CSU certificate, Atiku’s camp had alleged that the certificate was falsified. However, the BBC’s Global Disinformation Team’s investigation has not found any conclusive evidence of forgery. The BBC report stated that they contacted CSU for clarification, and the university expressed confidence in the veracity and integrity of their records concerning Tinubu’s attendance and graduation. The report further highlights that there are three different versions of CSU certificates associated with Tinubu, including the original 1979 certificate, a second diploma submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), and another replacement diploma from the early 2000s, which was never collected by Tinubu. Contrary to some allegations on social media, the BBC found that the phrase “with honours” does appear on Mr. Tinubu’s diploma from the early 2000s, which CSU authenticated during their investigation. CSU’s registrar, Caleb Westberg, affirmed that changes in the diploma template over the years might explain differences in appearance. He also attested to the authenticity of Tinubu’s diploma during his deposition. The BBC report concluded that CSU’s documents and Mr. Westberg’s statements confirm that President Tinubu graduated from CSU with honours, dispelling some of the doubts raised regarding his academic credentials.

Atiku’s Lawyer Accuses Tinubu of Submitting Forged Certificate To INEC

Following the release of President Bola Tinubu’s academic records by the Chicago State University, Kalu Kalu, a lawyer representing Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, has made allegations that Tinubu submitted a counterfeit degree certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the elections. Kalu, who spoke in a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, contended that despite Tinubu and his supporters vehemently denying the allegations, the documents obtained from Chicago State University support the claims of forgery. He pointed out several discrepancies, including the use of a female name on the qualifying certificate from South West College to Chicago State University, indicating that the document may not belong to Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Additionally, he said that the admission form from Chicago State University suggests that Tinubu attended Government College Lagos and graduated in 1970, even though the school was established in 1974. “The document indicates that the certificate’s owner is a black American, contradicting Tinubu’s claim of not having dual citizenship. Finally, there is an inconsistency between the name “Ahmed” on the document from Chicago State University and “Adekunle” on the NYSC certificate submitted to INEC,” Kalu argued. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is seeking to overturn Tinubu’s election through legal means after the Presidential Election Tribunal dismissed his petition. As part of this effort, he initiated a case in the United States to obtain the President’s academic records, which have now become a subject of controversy. Kalu emphasized that the Supreme Court, under established legal principles, allows for the introduction of fresh evidence under certain conditions, which he believes have been met in this case. He asserted that a party found to be at fault should not be permitted to benefit from its illegality according to the law.