Former Chicago State University lecturer Adedeji Doherty has accused President Bola Tinubu of falsely presenting himself as a former student of the American institution, insisting that the Nigerian leader never attended the university.
Doherty also accused the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, of misleading the public by defending claims that Tinubu studied at Chicago State University.
The allegations have reignited controversy surrounding Tinubu’s academic background, an issue that attracted significant attention during the 2023 presidential election and subsequent legal disputes over his educational qualifications.
Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Doherty disclosed that he worked at Chicago State University between 1985 and 1990.
He claimed he was the director of the programme Tinubu allegedly attended and maintained that he had personal knowledge of the president’s academic records.
The former lecturer further alleged that the documents Tinubu submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contained the names of schools he never attended.
Doherty questioned the credibility of the education minister’s statements concerning Tinubu’s educational history.
He warned that the controversy could potentially attract international legal attention, while insisting that strong language was necessary to address what he described as serious misconduct within the country’s institutions.
Doherty said, “But you better be careful. I have said it before. This thing may end up in international criminal courts. Maybe Amupitan and Tinubu, both of them, will die in the same cell. I’m saying it, and I’m telling you something.
“We are at a point in our politics where we have to use strong statements to tackle strong criminal behavior from our institutions.
“So I say it with all confidence, and I know things about the president that he knows I know, that there is no way he can win this election.
“Well, I know that he didn’t even attend Chicago State University. The education minister works for the president. The education minister is lying.
“Do you know his real name? That [Tinubu] is not his name. Do you know the school he attended? Primary school? No. Secondary school? No.
“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.
“This man is a professional crook. This is what is on record. I am telling you. By the way, let me tell you something now. I was told I shouldn’t say before, but it’s come to a point now.
“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.
“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.
“All the trouble that Atiku was going around looking for information, I had it then. I gave it to them, but I told them this is not how you win an election.
“Campaign against this guy and his performers. That’s what you do. But the fact of the matter is, I know that he never attended Chicago State University, and he knows that I know.
“So the man has no integrity. All these governors, whatever they want to do, let them do it. It will be them against us, the people. The people are not going to vote for rubbish.
“They have had enough. Poverty is on the rise. Unemployment is on the rise. Insecurity on the rise. Everything has failed because of this administration. If he’s a genius, he’s a genius to regain election. That is what it is.”
Doherty’s comments come amid renewed political discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the former lecturer expressing confidence that Nigerians would reject the current administration at the polls.
He also criticised the government’s performance, citing rising poverty, unemployment and insecurity as reasons he believes voters may seek a change in leadership.
President Tinubu is yet to respond to these allegations.