VIDEO: Man who claims he worked at Chicago State University for 5 years reveals what he knows about Tinubu’s records

Adetokumbo said he worked at CSU from 1985 to 1990 and was director of the programme Tinubu allegedly attended.

He accused the education minister of misleading Nigerians while questioning documents submitted to INEC by Tinubu.

The former lecturer also criticised the Tinubu administration and said Nigerians would decide the government’s fate in the 2027 elections.

A fresh controversy has erupted over President Bola Tinubu’s academic background after a former lecturer at Chicago State University (CSU), Dr. Pearse Adetokumbo, claimed the Nigerian president never attended the American institution.

Adetokumbo, who said he taught at CSU between 1985 and 1990, made the claims during an interview on News Central TV, where he alleged that he had personal knowledge of the university’s records.

"I was the Director of the Program in which Tinubu said he attended at [Chicago State University]…I was a lecturer at Chicago State University from 1985-1990…Tinubu is a bonafide liar." – Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse. Elders that should be respected. Obidients, collect your dinner. https://t.co/AhZx4pw2Ap

The former lecturer also accused the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, of misleading Nigerians by defending claims that Tinubu studied at Chicago State University.

The issue has continued to attract public attention since the 2023 presidential election, when questions about Tinubu’s educational history became part of political debates and legal battles over his qualifications.

According to Adetokumbo, he was the director of the programme Tinubu was alleged to have attended and claimed that he would have known if the president was a student there.

“I used to be a lecturer at Chicago State University. For five years. I was the director of the program that Tinubu said he attended at Chicago State University. I was at Chicago State University from 1985 to 1990.”

He further alleged that documents submitted by Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contained names of schools he never attended.

The Chicago State University campus in Illinois served as the focal point of the ongoing academic certificate controversy “Look at the records he has been submitting to INEC since he’s been running. He never said he was homeschooled. He gave names for schools which he never attended.”

Adetokumbo also questioned the statements made by the education minister regarding Tinubu’s educational history and warned that the matter could attract international legal attention.

“We are at a point in our politics where we have to use strong statements to tackle strong criminal behavior from our institutions.”

The former lecturer claimed he was contacted in 1999 when people were seeking information about Tinubu’s records and said he had access to the documents at the time.

“After he had left, I can tell you now that when [they] were 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. I had the information.”

He added: “But the fact of the matter is, I know that he never attended Chicago State University, and he knows that I know.”

Beyond the academic claims, Adetokumbo also criticised the Tinubu administration’s performance, citing issues including poverty, unemployment and insecurity.

He said he believed Nigerians would make their decision ahead of the 2027 general elections, expressing confidence that voters would demand a change in leadership.

“Poverty is on the rise. Unemployment is on the rise. Insecurity on the rise. Everything has failed because of this administration.”

President Bola Tinubu has not publicly responded to Adetokumbo’s latest allegations.