The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO USA), a prominent pro-democracy group based in Washington, D.C., has expressed concerns and called for investigations into the academic credentials of Nigeria’s President, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
NADECO USA has been at the forefront of advocating for sustainable democracy, the rule of law, good governance, electoral accountability, and transparency in Nigeria. The group recently raised questions surrounding President Tinubu’s academic qualifications and the authenticity of the diploma he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the presidential election held on February 25, 2023.
Chicago State University (CSU), in response to a deposition query, stated that the diploma submitted by President Tinubu to INEC was not issued by the university. However, CSU alleged that President Tinubu indeed graduated from the institution and provided a transcript of results supposedly belonging to him.
NADECO USA and the Nigerian public are seeking answers to several key questions:
1. Who issued the diploma to Mr. Tinubu, and where did he obtain it? Why did CSU not issue a diploma certificate to a student it claimed had graduated? Could CSU have issued a certificate to a student who had not met the required credits for graduation?
2. Did Mr. Tinubu eventually complete the 15 required credit hours mentioned in his transcripts? If so, when were these courses taken?
3. Transcripts from South West College indicate a different Social Security number for the transferring student. Additionally, the gender of the applicant is listed as female, while Mr. Tinubu is known to be male. This raises questions about inconsistencies in his identity.
NADECO USA demands the following actions:
A. The Board of Trustees of Chicago State University (CSU) should thoroughly investigate the issues raised regarding Mr. Tinubu’s academic qualifications.
B. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) should initiate an investigation into these concerns.
C. Clarification is sought from the FBI regarding a letter that suggests Mr. Tinubu neither attended nor graduated from CSU, in contrast to CSU’s position.
D. Investigation is requested to determine if Mr. Tinubu made donations to CSU directly or through third parties in recent years, as this might reveal monetary inducements aimed at securing privileges.
E. A joint investigation by the FBI and the Social Security Administration is needed to determine whether Mr. Tinubu engaged in identity theft or if the original owner of the Social Security number (SS#: 231-06-0595) was aware that it was being used by another person.
F. Clarification is needed regarding the ownership of the SS#: 231-06-0595, mentioned in transcripts provided by CSU during a deposition given under oath.
G. NADECO USA calls upon the United States University Accreditation Body and the Chicago State University Board of Trustees to conduct a thorough investigation to uphold the reputation of CSU.
NADECO USA remains dedicated to the fight against corruption and for the betterment of Nigeria, the group seeks cooperation to uncover the truth about Mr. Bola A. Tinubu’s academic background and identity.