But a parliamentary inquest had since cleared him of any case of perjury while an independent investigation by the Punch newspaper established that he indeed graduated from the Chicago State University in the United States.
Tinubu’s academic qualification has been a subject of intense scrutiny since his first filing of required papers in 1998 preparatory for governorship election of 1999.
Conflicting Filings in 1992, 1999 & 2022
While Tinubu had claimed in 1992 when he ran for Lagos West senate election that he attended Richard Daley College of Chicago and Chicago State University graduating in June 1979 with B.Sc Accounting, in his 1999 filing he said he attended University of Chicago and Chicago State University, graduating with a degree in Business and Administration, Accounting from the latter.
However, the Chicago State University letter dated August 20th 1999 addressed ‘To Whom It May Concern, was referenced by his then Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ayobolu, showing that Tinubu indeed attended Chicago State University from August 1977 through June 1979, a period of one year, 10 months (22 months) only.
Meanwhile in his 2022 filings for the 2023 presidential election as the presidential candidate of the APC, he did not state his primary and secondary schools.
He also did not state the name of the university he attended.
However, he stated his academic qualification as “B.SC Business and Administration, 1979.”
Investigation conducted by THE WHISTLER showed that following inconsistencies in his academic qualifications filed with INEC in 1998, and the fallout, which led to petitions and a legal tussle, a motion was moved by Hon Tajudeen Jaiyeola Agoro, representing Lagos Mainland Constituency, for investigation according to the account presented in January by then Tinubu’s Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ayobolu, in the Saturday edition of the Tribune, 2022.
He explained that then Speaker, Adeleke Olorunimbe Mamora, set up a 5-man ad hoc committee on Tuesday, September 21, 1999, to investigate the allegations and report back to the House.
Other members of the committee were Hon. Babajide Omoworare (Chairman), Hon. Thomas Ayodele Fadeyi, Hon. Adeniyi Akinmade, Hon. Ibrahim Gbola Gbabijo and Hon Saliu Olaitan Mustapha.
Committee Report
Quoting the Committee’s report, Ayobolu said, “The Governor of Lagos State started his evidence by admitting ‘full responsibility’ for some of the ‘needless errors’ being pointed at in recent publications and which formed the basis of allegations against him.
“The Governor told the Committee that as a result of the acrimonious primaries of the Alliance for Democracy in Lagos State and its attendant crisis, the information contained in both the INEC form and the affidavit of loss of certificates was supplied by Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi.”
According to him, “The Governor then submitted to the Committee a copy of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) senatorial candidate form dated June 1, 1992, which he used to contest the 1992 Senatorial election as candidate of the party for Lagos West. In the form, which he personally filled, the Governor attached the certificates of Richard Daley College and Chicago State Chicago State University. For his educational qualifications he filled B.SC Accounting only.”
According to the committee report, as cited, “This according to him demonstrated that ‘needless errors’ spotted in the 1999 INEC form were not consistent and that they were ‘genuine errors’.
Quoting the Committee’s final report to read that, “However, we wish to state that the Governor’s inability to clear these issues promptly left the field to numerous aides and well wishers who circulated statements and documents, some of which the Governor claimed were neither from him nor authorized by him. Since the Governor himself accepted responsibilities for the ‘needless errors’ made, and in any event he is responsible for documents signed by him, we strongly advise him to be more careful in ensuring the accuracy of documents that carry his signature in future”.
Supreme Court Ruling
Following the institution of the case at the Federal High Court in Lagos by late Legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi, the Supreme Court later ruled against any further investigation of Tinubu as a sitting governor, as he was under immunity although the merit and propriety of the case was not looked at.
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