Chicago State University (CSU) has reconfirmed that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, attended the university and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in 1979.
This information was relayed in a statement provided to CBS News, a prominent American news network.
The university clarified that they won’t disclose further details about Tinubu’s record unless given consent or a court order, in adherence to U.S. federal law.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, had contested the authenticity of documents indicating Tinubu’s graduation from Chicago State in 1979.
Atiku cited this as grounds to challenge Tinubu’s election victory. According to Atiku, the certificate was issued in 1979, signed by university President Elnora Daniel, who didn’t assume office at CSU until 1998 and departed approximately ten years later. Atiku contended that presenting false records to the National Election Commission prior to the vote should invalidate the election.
In a recent hearing in Chicago, Atiku’s legal team urged a federal judge to compel CSU officials to provide Tinubu’s academic documents and participate in depositions. Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois did not make a ruling on the request.
CSU’s lawyer, Michael Hayes, informed Gilbert that the university could not legally attest to Tinubu’s diploma. A CSU spokesperson explained that while the university can confirm Tinubu’s graduation, it cannot authenticate the diploma as it is a ceremonial document and not part of a student’s official academic record.
Earlier this month, the Presidential Election Petition Court dismissed Atiku’s claim against Tinubu’s election on February 25. However, the PDP presidential candidate continues to contest the president’s academic credentials in Chicago.
But in the statement CSU issued to CBS yesterday, the university explained: “As an educational institution, we are sometimes asked to provide information related to student records. Federal law known as FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects the privacy of student records and limits what an institution can release.
“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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