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In light of the recent debates surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s educational credentials from Chicago State University (CSU), the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has emphasized that the administration cannot afford to devote valuable time to what he deems as “insignificant matters.”
Tuggar, while addressing the issue on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Wednesday, asserted that the ongoing controversy should not overshadow some of the president’s recent international endeavors.
“There appears to be a consistent effort to divert attention towards trivial concerns rather than addressing the more substantial developmental issues at hand. Our focus cannot afford to be diverted by such matters,” he stated.
Furthermore, he pointed out that a previous president, Muhammadu Buhari, had encountered a similar situation during his tenure.
“Nobody is concerning themselves with certificate qualifications when it comes to someone who has served as a governor of a state for two terms and has a substantial presence on the national political stage.
“Let’s recall that even (former) President Buhari faced similar scrutiny in the past, with people questioning his secondary school education. This is a person who not only had classmates but also served as the head boy and captain.
“The minister asserted that during Tinubu’s recent international engagements, no one has displayed any interest in this matter.”
“The foreign leaders and international organizations with whom we have been engaging appear to have little interest in dedicating their time to such matters.
“We pay no attention to such issues,” Tuggar declared.
He further emphasized that, given the critical state of our nation, Nigerians should not become overly fixated on certifications. Instead, he encouraged them to prioritize development.
“In light of the economic challenges we are currently confronting, we should not waste our time debating over a certificate, whether it’s a missing ‘T’ or an undotted ‘I.’ Such issues should not be our primary focus at this moment,” he argued.
Tuggar’s remarks were made in response to Atiku Abubakar’s request for Tinubu’s educational credentials from a U.S. university.”
The presidential candidate from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken legal action by approaching the US District Court in Northern Illinois. His aim is to compel Chicago State University (CSU) to release President Tinubu’s academic records. The candidate argues that this release is crucial to bolster his case challenging the election results from February 25.
His request for these documents is intended for use in Nigerian courts, where he seeks to support his argument that Tinubu falsely claimed to possess a certificate from CSU in 1979. Tinubu had submitted this certificate to Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during the 2023 presidential election.
As a result of this legal action, a US Court has ordered CSU to provide Tinubu’s academic records to Atiku, the presidential candidate.
On Monday, the university complied with the court order and released a collection of documents related to Tinubu’s educational history at the institution. Additionally, they provided copies of certificates, albeit with redacted names, issued to other individuals during the same period when the Nigerian president completed his studies at CSU in 1979.
These documents also included Tinubu’s admission records and a letter dated 27 June 2022, confirming his attendance at the university from August 1977 to June 1979, with a major in accounting. The letter further stated that Tinubu was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Honors on 22 June 1979.
