Chicago State University (CSU) has officially confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), attended the university and successfully graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. This revelation comes amidst a contentious election dispute in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential race.
CSU made this announcement through a statement issued to CBS Broadcasting Incorporation on Thursday. However, the university also stated that due to United States federal law, it cannot disclose further information about Tinubu’s academic record without his consent or unless legally required to do so via a court order.
The controversy surrounding Tinubu’s educational credentials erupted when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, alleged that the documents attesting to Tinubu’s graduation from Chicago State University in 1979 were forged. Atiku Abubakar cited this as a basis for challenging Tinubu’s election victory.
Notably, one of the key arguments in this dispute was the claim that the graduation certificate displayed by Tinubu bore the signature of university President Elnora Daniel, who didn’t assume the role at CSU until 1998, approximately two decades after the alleged graduation year.
However, a spokesperson from Chicago State University has affirmed the university’s ability to verify Tinubu’s graduation.
“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.
“The CSU is confident in the veracity and integrity of our records regarding Tinubu’s completion of graduation requirements and degree certificate.”
The university clarified that it is not involved in the Nigerian legal proceedings that prompted this request, and it will be up to a U.S. federal judge to decide whether the university should furnish additional requested information. Furthermore, the university emphasized that its response to the request for Tinubu’s academic records aligns completely with their established practices, policies, and adherence to federal law.
Chicago State has issued this statement:
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 in 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.
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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.