A Nigerian civil society group, the Center for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA), has reopened a controversy over the authenticity of President Bola Tinubu’s Chicago State University academic credentials. CFRPA says it has submitted a petition dated June 19, 2026, to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, seeking urgent clarification regarding the certificates Tinubu presented for clearance for the 2023 presidential election.
The group alleges inconsistencies in Tinubu’s educational records, including a claim that Tinubu stated he attended Government College Lagos between 1960 and 1970, despite the school being established in 1974. CFRPA also questions documents submitted to INEC, including a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, and argues that some materials may have been forged.
CFRPA cites constitutional provisions that disqualify candidates who present forged certificates and warns that if INEC does not address the allegations, it may pursue legal action. The group also references a 2023 U.S. court case in which Chicago State University released Tinubu’s academic records to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying those records show discrepancies in admission information.
