Tinubu defends Chicago State University degree, tenders it at tribunal

By Ibrahim Ishaku

The President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, begins his defence of the allegation that his Chicago State University degree does not belong to him.

Recall that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, presented documents and brought a witness to press the case that the certificate being paraded by Tinubu belonged to a woman, a certain Bola Adekunle Tinubu.

Atiku supported his claim by showing an application form filled allegedly by the owner of the certificate where they ticked ‘female’ in the field applicants were expected to state their gender.

But at the resumed sitting of the court, Tinubu tendered copies of his educational records from the Chicago State University before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) as he opened his defence in the petition.

Also tendered by his lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) is a 2007 letter from the United States Embassy in Nigeria, absolving Tinubu of any criminal liability in the US, and the letter of request from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to the US Embassy.

The academic records from the Chicago State University, 12 documents in all, were certified on June 28, 2023 by Jamar C. Orr, the Associate General Counsel, Office of the Legal Affairs, Chicago State University.

Also tendered are six copies of documents relating to immigration and visa records of trips made to the US by Tinubu between 2011 and 2021, among other documents.