CHICAGO UNIVERSITY LOCKS X ACCOUNT OVER BACKLASHES ON TINUBU'S ACADEMIC RECORDS

Read Time:3 Minute, 23 Second

Chicago State University, United States has put its X page, previously known as Twitter on private after Nigerians called out the institution over issues around the certificate issued to President Bola Tinubu.

Recently, the institution has caught the prying eyes of Nigerians in diaspora over controversy surrounding the certificate it issued to President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria which has been under question.

There are two diploma certificates purporting to have been issued to Mr Tinubu by CSU on June 22, 1979 and June 27, 1979.

The former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had gone to court in United to compel the university to produce Tinubu’s academic records.

In response to the Application submitted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate for the February 25 election, Atiku Abubakar, the university last week gave conditions to grant access to President Bola Tinubu’s credentials from the school.

The University had said until it was provided with concrete reasons on how granting access to Tinubu’s credentials was relevant to the elections, it was only then that it would grant what had been asked.

“The student records Abubakar seeks from the University via a documents subpoena (Doc.1-1) and the information Abubakar seeks the University to provide under a deposition subpoena (Doc. 1-2) concern Tinubu’s private educational records. But since Tinubu has intervened to oppose this discovery, the University defers to Tinubu on the privacy issues implicated by Abubakar’s Application.” the document stated.

It further said, “The University struggles to understand how – given that Tinubu did graduate from the University in 1979 – Tinubu’s grades and other student records from the 1970s and date and signatory information on subsequently issued ceremonial diplomas could have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country.

“But the University is admittedly not familiar with the issues in the Nigerian proceeding or the evidentiary and other legal principles applicable therein. Accordingly, the University defers to Tinubu – who obviously is familiar with these issues and directly involved in that foreign proceeding – to advance procedural and relevancy objections to the Application.

“In a recent conference with Abubakar’s counsel about the Application, Abubakar’s counsel confirmed that the evidentiary phase of the Nigerian proceeding has concluded but that the information sought in the Application introduced in appellate proceedings to come.

“In ruling on the Application, the University respectfully requests that this Court Applications both the actual status of the Nigerian proceeding and the likelihood that any discovery information provided by the University would be considered in the Nigerian proceeding.”

However, Nigerians took to the University’s X account to blast the institution, questioning how much the President Tinubu paid to buy his certificate.

Sequel to the barrage of criticisms, the university authorities blocked its X account against non-confirmed followers. It was reported in January 2022 that the university confirmed to it that Tinubu indeed attended the university.

It was reported in January 2022 that the university confirmed to it that Tinubu indeed attended the university.

Beverly Poindexter, who is in charge of official transcript requests, enrolment, and degree verification at the Office of the Registrar, CSU, in a terse email response said, “Mr Tinubu did attend our university, however, if further information is needed, go to studentclearinghouse.org website to make a formal request.”

In an earlier letter dated August 20, 1999, and signed by then Registrar, Lois Davis, the university stated that Tinubu was its student between 1977 and 1979.

He wrote, “Please be advised that Bola A. Tinubu did indeed attend Chicago State University from August 1977 through June 1979. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Administration with honours on June 22, 1979. His major was Accounting.”

Also attached to Tinubu’s form CF004 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission during his governorship re-election bid in 2003 was a commendation letter from CSU recognising his performance and “high scholastic achievement”.

Tinubu’s academic qualification has been a subject of controversy for some time now especially following the 2023 general election.