Minister Alausa: Tinubu Earned Chicago State First-Class Accounting Degree

• Minister of Education Tunji Alausa asserted President Bola Tinubu earned a first-class accounting degree from Chicago State University.
• Alausa stated his familiarity with the university and claimed to have met Tinubu's classmates.
• President Tinubu's INEC Form EC9 listed a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, awarded with honors in 1979.
• The INEC form notably listed "0000" for primary and secondary school qualifications.
• Chicago State University confirmed Tinubu's attendance, 1979 graduation, and accounting major, but its records do not specify a first-class degree.

While the university's official records verify that accounting was President Tinubu's major, they do not, however, explicitly state that he graduated with a first-class degree, creating a notable distinction from the Education Minister's recent assertion.

Nigeria's Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has publicly defended President Bola Tinubu's academic background, asserting that the President earned a first-class degree in accounting from Chicago State University. Speaking on Channels Television during an interview on Tuesday, Alausa addressed inquiries regarding President Bola Tinubu's academic record, stating his deep familiarity with the institution after residing in Chicago for nearly three decades. He further claimed to have personally encountered numerous individuals who were classmates of President Tinubu at the university.

During the interview, when directly questioned about whether the President achieved a first-class accounting degree, Alausa unequivocally responded, "In accounting, of course." He also characterized President Tinubu as a "genius," dismissing any doubts about the President's intellectual capabilities. The minister extended his defense to President Tinubu's performance in office, contending that the current administration had transformed Nigeria from a "moribund country" into a "growing economy" within three years. Despite an interviewer's challenge citing national issues like out-of-school children and poverty levels, Alausa insisted on maintaining focus on the President's achievements.

The academic qualifications of President Bola Tinubu have consistently drawn public scrutiny, a debate that intensified following the controversy surrounding his Chicago State University records during the 2023 presidential election petition. This discussion gained renewed prominence in August 2026, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) began publishing the personal details and academic credentials submitted by presidential candidates in preparation for the 2027 general elections. President Tinubu's INEC Form EC9, reviewed by PUNCH, indicated a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, awarded with honors on June 22, 1979.

Additionally, the form detailed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge documents, confirming his service in Oyo State between December 1982 and November 1983. However, the spaces designated for his primary and secondary school qualifications on the INEC form were marked "0000," with only his university qualification listed in the educational history. This particular omission reignited public questions regarding the President's educational background, prompting varied reactions from political figures and commentators.

Chicago State University had previously confirmed President Tinubu's attendance and graduation in 1979, specifying accounting as his major. In September 2023, the university released President Tinubu's academic records in response to a legal request initiated by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Abubakar had sought these documents as part of his legal challenge to the outcome of the presidential election.

Further corroboration came from Caleb Westberg, the university's registrar, who provided testimony in a United States court, affirming that President Tinubu indeed attended and successfully graduated from the institution. While the university's official records verify that accounting was President Tinubu's major, they do not, however, explicitly state that he graduated with a first-class degree, creating a notable distinction from the Education Minister's recent assertion.

This article primarily reports a political defense of President Tinubu's academic record and does not present a new legal development or actionable implication for lawyers or compliance officers beyond general awareness of ongoing political scrutiny.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH