Former Chicago State University lecturer Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse has accused President Bola Tinubu of falsely claiming to have attended the institution.
Speaking on News Central TV, Pearse also accused Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa of lying when he said Tinubu studied there.
The claim revisits questions about Tinubu’s academic history, which drew national attention during the 2023 election petition and certificate dispute.
What Pearse Said on Television
During a discussion about Nigeria’s 2027 politics, Pearse said he had worked at Chicago State University from 1985 to 1990.
He claimed he directed the programme Tinubu supposedly attended, and said he knew the president had never studied at the institution.
“I was the director of the programme in which Tinubu said he attended,” Pearse told the television panel.
He further alleged that records submitted by Tinubu to Nigeria’s electoral commission named schools the president had not attended.
Pearse called Tinubu a “professional liar” and described the education minister’s defence of the president’s attendance as false.
The interview included other accusations and predictions about the administration, as well as criticism of poverty, unemployment and insecurity.
Pearse did not present documents during the broadcast to support his claim that Tinubu never attended Chicago State University.
The presenter said the programme would seek a response from the Presidency and its spokespersons, but the supplied transcript contains no official reply.
Pearse’s statements should therefore be understood as allegations made during a political television discussion, rather than independently established findings.
Did University Records Contradict the Central Claim by Pearse?
Chicago State University has previously confirmed that Tinubu attended the institution from August 1977 to June 1979, although the institution’s record clearly indicated that the Tinubu in question was a “FEMALE“.
The university also said the Tinubu graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, awarded with honours.
Those records seem to conflict directly with Pearse’s assertion that Tinubu never attended the university.
Reporting in 2022 quoted the university registrar confirming Tinubu’s attendance dates and degree.
Pearse said his own university tenure ran from 1985 to 1990, several years after Tinubu’s recorded attendance and graduation.
That timing does not by itself establish what Pearse’s role was or whether he had access to the records he described.
It does mean the broadcast claim relies on his account of past programme leadership and information he says he obtained.
The university’s reported confirmation concerns Tinubu’s attendance and degree; questions about a particular diploma submitted to INEC are separate.
Keeping those issues distinct seems important when assessing the recurring political debate over Tinubu’s academic credentials.
Earlier Certificate Dispute and Findings
In 2023, former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar sought Tinubu’s Chicago State University records through proceedings in a United States court.
The released records and testimony renewed scrutiny of the diploma Tinubu submitted to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission.
The university registrar said the school could not authenticate that particular diploma because it was not in the university’s possession.
The dispute also involved discrepancies in some application records, including differences in recorded personal details and educational history.
Those inconsistencies fuelled public debate, but they do not establish the broader allegation by Pearse that Tinubu never attended the university.
The BBC’s 2023 investigation found no evidence that Tinubu’s diploma was forged, while explaining that the document had reportedly been reissued.
The BBC report also noted that some discrepancies in university records could have resulted from clerical errors.
The Associated Press separately reported that the university had an original record for Tinubu, while noting it could not verify the diploma submitted to INEC.
The AP account described the distinction.
Political Reactions and the Need for Evidence
Education Minister Tunji Alausa recently defended Tinubu’s academic history, saying he had visited Chicago State University and met people he identified as Tinubu’s classmates.
Alausa described the president as a graduate of the institution, statements Pearse rejected during the News Central interview.
The disagreement has revived a politically charged issue as parties and candidates position themselves ahead of the 2027 general election.
Pearse also criticised the administration’s performance, citing rising poverty, unemployment and insecurity as reasons voters may reject it.
His comments about possible international criminal proceedings were political rhetoric in the interview, not evidence of any court action against Tinubu.
The key factual distinction remains that Chicago State University has confirmed Tinubu attended and graduated, while the specific INEC diploma’s provenance drew separate scrutiny.
Pearse’s contrary claim would require documentary evidence or corroboration to overturn the university’s recorded confirmation.
The Presidency was offered a right of response during the broadcast, but no response appears in the transcript supplied for this report.
