A civil society group, the Center for Reform and Public Advocacy, CFRPA, has re-raised the issue on the authenticity of the Chicago State University certificate used by President Bola Tinubu to get clearance for the 2023 general election.
The group, which advocates good governance in Nigeria, has formally written the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, demanding clarifications on the status of the degree certificate claimed to have been obtained and paraded by President Tinubu.
The group, in a letter to the INEC chairman, demanded urgent clarifications from the electoral body to ensure that sanity prevails in the polity ahead of the 2027 election.
The group hinged its demand specifically on the need for INEC to prevent contestants of doubtful background from participating in the 2027 presidential poll so as to bar such persons from accessing leadership positions at all levels in the country.
The letter dated June 19, 2026 and signed by the group’s Head of Legal Unit, Barrister Kalu Agu, was received at the Abuja INEC Headquarters on same date.
Among others, the group alleged that President Tinubu claimed to have attended Government College Lagos in 1960 and graduated in May 1970, but the Government College Lagos was established in 1974.
Therefore, it held that the primary and secondary school certificates paraded by President Tinubu and claimed to have been used to secure admission to the Chicago State University may have been forged hence, the need for clarifications by INEC.
The group tasked INEC chairman Amupitan, as a Professor of Law and a well respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN to use his wealth of experience and knowledge to resolve the lingering issue surrounding the eligibility of President Bola Tinubu to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The group said it has become imperative for INEC to make clarifications considering the legal implications of forged certificates in relation to Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 285(14) of the said Constitution which provides for the power of the commission to disqualify candidates for election who are ineligible.
The group warned that if it fails to speak out on Tinubu’s eligibility or otherwise for the 2027 general election, the electoral body will have no option than to institute a legal action to compel it to do the needful in the general interest of the Nigerian public.
The letter reads in parts “We are a non-profit, pro-democracy, human rights, anti corruption and public interest advocacy organization in Nigeria.
“In furtherance of our objectives, we wish to respectfully bring to your notice the Fake Chicago State University Certificate and the forged National Youth Service Corps Discharge Certificate presented to the Commission by President Bola A. Tinubu to aid his qualification for the 2023 Presidential Election in Nigeria.
“The said certificates which formed part of the President Bola A. Tinubu’s INEC FORM EC9 are hereby annexed and marked as “EXHIBIT INEC”.
Recall that in 2023, an American Court, in a discovery case, particularly IN RE: APPLICATION OF ATIKU ABUBAKAR (NO. 23 CV 05099), CORAM: HONOURABLE NANCY L. MALDONADO, ordered Chicago State University to produce President Bola A. Tinubu’s academic records to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“The said academic records are herewith annexed and are marked as “EXHIBIT CSU”
“On release of the said academic records, President Bola A. Tinubu found the following:
“Falsified information on his admission form to Chicago State University where he claimed to have attended Government College Lagos in 1960 and graduated in May 1970 when in fact Government College Lagos was only established in 1974;
“General Certificate of Education, University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate, 1970. “EXHIBIT CSU” pages CSU 0022 and CSU 0024.
“It is on the basis of the foregoing that we write to you respectfully requesting for a legal clarification of the effects of President Bola A. Tinubu’s certificate obtained by fraud from Chicago State University and his forged NYSC Discharged Certificate on President Bola A. Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid.
“Incidentally, we have written to the Director General of National Youth Service Corps and the Secretary to Government of the Federation to request the NYSC to issue a disclaimer on the forged NYSC Discharge certificate President Bola A. Tinubu is parading as genuine.
“Copies of the said letters are attached and marked as “EXHIBIT LETTERS”.
“As a Professor of Law and a well respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), it is imperative to use your wealth of experience and knowledge to resolve this lingering issue surrounding the ineligibility of President Bola A. Tinubu to contest the 2027 Presidential Election considering the legal implications of the above-named forged certificates he submitted to INEC in 2023 in relation to Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as Section 285(14) of the said Constitution which envisages the power of the Commission to disqualify candidates for election who are ineligible.”
“This is a litmus test to see how neutral you will be in the conduct of future elections in Nigeria
“TAKE NOTICE that if you are not able to make the legal position of INEC on this our request public, we shall go ahead and file a legal action to stop INEC from receiving and/or accepting the name of President Bola A. Tinubu as the Presidential Candidate of the APC as he does not have any other academic certificate to present to INEC since President Bola A. Tinubu does not have any Primary and Secondary Certificates.
“We hope that you will consider our request and let wisdom be the victor in the situation. “
“INEC is constitutionally and statutorily mandated to regulate the activities of political parties in Nigeria and conduct elections into elective offices which include receiving and/or giving Access Code to political parties to upload names of candidates into INEC online portal.
“Any candidate who submits a forged certificate to INEC is not qualified to contest for office of President of Nigeria by virtue of Section 137(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”