A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adetokunbo Pearse, has challenged claims that President Bola Tinubu studied at Chicago State University in the United States.
Pearse alleged that documents submitted by Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contained the names of schools the President did not attend.
He also accused the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, of misleading Nigerians by defending claims about Tinubu’s academic history.
Pearse made the allegations during an interview on News Central TV, according to Naija News.
Pearse says he worked at Chicago State University
The PDP chieftain said he worked at Chicago State University between 1985 and 1990, claiming he was the director of the programme Tinubu allegedly attended.
He maintained that his position at the institution gave him personal knowledge of the President’s academic records.
“I used to be a lecturer at Chicago State University. For five years. I was the director of the programme that Tinubu said he attended at Chicago State University. I was at Chicago State University from 1985 to 1990,” Pearse said.
He further claimed that around 1999, when people were seeking information about Tinubu’s academic record, he was approached to provide details.
According to Pearse, he had access to the information at the time but advised those seeking it to focus on campaigning against Tinubu rather than relying on the records to win an election.
Pearse accuses education minister of misleading Nigerians
Pearse also questioned the information contained in Tinubu’s academic documents submitted to INEC.
He alleged that the President had listed schools he never attended and questioned the accuracy of details relating to his name and educational background.
The PDP chieftain described Tinubu as lacking integrity and accused the current administration of failing to address poverty, unemployment and insecurity.
He also predicted that Tinubu would struggle to win the next presidential election.
PDP chieftain makes strong warning over alleged misconduct
During the interview, Pearse warned that the controversy could have international legal implications.
He made remarks suggesting that Tinubu and INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan could face criminal proceedings, although he did not establish any specific charges or legal process that would lead to such an outcome.
Pearse insisted that he was confident in his claims, saying the President was aware of what he allegedly knew about his academic history.
The allegations add to the longstanding political controversy surrounding Tinubu’s educational background and the documents submitted in connection with his electoral candidacies.
