Chicago State University Confirms Tinubu’s Graduation… But

The Chicago State University (CSU) has confirmed that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, attended the university and earned a Bachelor’s degree there in 1979.

The university confirmed Tinubu’s graduation in a statement made to CBS News, one of America’s largest and most powerful news networks.

Without Tinubu’s agreement or a court order, the institution insisted on withholding additional information about his record.

According to Chicago State University, the decision was made not to protect anyone, but to comply with US federal law.

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, said that documents proving Tinubu’s graduation from Chicago State University in 1979 were falsified, and wants to use this is one of the grounds to overturn Tinubu’s election victory.

According to Atiku the certificate paraded by Tinubu was signed by university President Elnora Daniel supposedly in 1979.

He, however, contends that Daniel, did not arrive at CSU until 1998 and left roughly ten years later and so could not have signed the certificate ten years before his arrival at CSU. The Tinubu camp has not spoken on this issue.

Atiku further stated that presenting fake records to INEC before the vote should result in the election being declared invalid.

Atiku’s attorneys had earlier requested a federal judge in Chicago to compel CSU authorities to turn over Tinubu’s academic documents and appear for depositions. 

The request was denied by Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

According to CSU’s lawyer, Michael Hayes, the university will be unable to authenticate Tinubu’s diploma under oath.

According to a CSU official, the university could only confirm the president graduated. However, because the diploma was a ceremonial document and not part of a student’s formal academic file, it cannot be authenticated.

The Presidential Election Petition Court dismissed Atiku’s challenge against Tinubu’s February 25 election earlier this month. However, the PDP presidential contender is still fighting the president’s academic scores in Chicago.

CSU, in explaining Tinubu’s certificate and his graduation in a statement to CBS said: “As an educational institution, we are sometimes asked to provide information related to student records.”

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) safeguards the privacy of student records and limits what an institution can reveal.

“In August 2023, a request was made to the U.S. federal court for the university to provide information related to educational records concerning Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, and a former CSU student.

“The university has confirmed Tinubu attended CSU and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. 

“Federal law, however, prevents us from providing any further information without consent or unless allowed to do so via court order.

“CSU is confident in the veracity and integrity of our records regarding Tinubu’s completion of graduation requirements and degree certificate. 

“The university is not a party to the Nigerian legal proceedings that spurred this request, and a U.S. federal judge will determine whether the university will provide further requested information.

“Our response to the request for Tinubu’s academic records has been entirely consistent with our practices, policies and federal law. 

We would respond in exactly the same manner for any request for any student information by a third party.”

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