A former lecturer at Chicago State University (CSU), Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu never attended the American institution, describing him as a “professional crook” and questioning the educational records he has submitted over the years.
Pearse, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, made the remarks during an interview on News Central Television on Sunday, November 8, 2026. He said he lectured at CSU for five years between 1985 and 1990 and claimed he was the director of the programme Tinubu has said he attended.
“The fact of the matter is, I know he never attended Chicago State University. He knows that I know. So the man has no integrity,” Pearse stated.
He rejected suggestions that Tinubu was homeschooled, insisting that was not what the president himself had claimed in official documents. “That was not what Tinubu himself said. Look at the record he submitted to INEC. He never said he was homeschooled. He gave names of schools he never attended. This man is a professional crook,” Pearse said.
Pearse further disclosed that around 1999, when associates of the late Lagos politician Funsho Williams were seeking information on Tinubu’s academic records, they were directed to him because of his position at the university. “I can tell you now that when Funsho Williams was looking for information on Tinubu’s record, I think it was 1999, it was to me that they sent people to come and collect the information,” he said.
The comments have revived long-standing controversy over Tinubu’s educational background ahead of the 2027 general elections. Pearse also criticised the current administration, pointing to poverty, unemployment and insecurity, and described Tinubu as “a genius at rigging elections” if he is a genius at anything.
University’s Official Position
Chicago State University has repeatedly confirmed that a Bola A. Tinubu attended the institution. According to official statements and testimony under oath by CSU Registrar Caleb Westberg, Tinubu enrolled in August 1977, graduated on June 22, 1979, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (majoring in Accounting), and received the degree with honours.
The university reaffirmed this position in 2022 and again in 2023 following legal proceedings initiated by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who sought release of Tinubu’s academic records. While some discrepancies were noted regarding the specific diploma Tinubu submitted to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) — including differences in format and signatures consistent with later replacement certificates — CSU maintained that he attended and graduated. A BBC investigation in 2023 found no evidence that the diploma presented to INEC was forged, attributing variations to changes in the university’s certificate templates over time.
Observers have noted that Pearse’s period at CSU (1985–1990) came several years after Tinubu’s claimed attendance (1977–1979), raising questions about the directness of his knowledge of that earlier cohort.
As of Monday, November 9, 2026, there has been no immediate public response from the Presidency or the Ministry of Education to Pearse’s latest claims. The allegations add to the recurring political debates over Tinubu’s credentials that have featured in successive election cycles.
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