A former lecturer at Chicago State University (CSU), Adetokunbo Pearse, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu never attended the American institution, describing him as a “professional crook” amid the lingering controversy over his academic records.
Pearse, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, made the allegations during an interview with News Central on Sunday, insisting that he had personal knowledge of the university’s records and the programme Tinubu claimed to have attended.
“The fact of the matter is, I know he never attended Chicago State University. He knows that I know. So the man (Mr Tinubu) has no integrity,” Pearse said.
The former lecturer made the remarks while responding to the argument that Tinubu was homeschooled, an explanation reportedly advanced by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in defending the President’s educational background.
Pearse, however, dismissed the explanation, arguing that it contradicted the academic history Tinubu submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“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,” he stated.
Explaining the basis for his claims, Pearse said he taught at Chicago State University for five years and served as director of the programme Tinubu claimed to have attended.
“I used to be a lecturer at Chicago State University for five years. I was the director of the programme in which Tinubu said he attended at Chicago State University. I was in Chicago State University between 1985 and 1990,” he said.
Pearse also claimed that he was contacted in 1999 when information about Tinubu’s academic records was being sought by the late Funsho Williams.
“When Funsho Williams was looking for information on Tinubu’s record in 1999, it was to me they sent people to come get the information. I had the information. If he is a genius, he is a genius at rigging elections,” he added.
Meanwhile, presidential spokespersons Bayo Onanuga and Daniel Bwala had yet to respond to a request for comments from Peoples Gazette on Pearse’s allegations.
Tinubu’s academic qualifications, particularly his claim to have attended Chicago State University, have remained a subject of controversy since his entry into Nigerian politics.
The controversy has also featured legal efforts to obtain records relating to the President’s academic history from the American institution, as well as his move against the release of his records by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), according to the report.
Pearse’s latest comments have reignited questions surrounding the President’s educational background, although the allegations remain his personal claims.
