NEWS
Tinubu’s Opaque Academic Records Dominate Public Discourse
… Civil Rights Group Threaten Legal Action Against IGP
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
Well-meaning Nigerians are decrying the charade and connivance of the political elite against the law and with the law to defraud the electorate.
The media space, particularly digital and social, found itself inundated lately with observations, including eye witness and personal accounts of alleged perjury by one of the contenders to the office of the president of Nigeria.
Recall that Bola Ahmed Tunubu beat other contenders to the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential elections, recently.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of legal requirements made public the documentation submitted to it by those running for electoral positions.
This availed the public of what now appears like the startling revelation that the former governor of Lagos State, was ‘mute’, albeit in writing, under oath on the primary and secondary schools he attended.
This left those who claim to know wondering aloud how such could be.
A Twitter user, Femi Aribisala, took to his verified Twitter handle @femiaribisala to vent his frustration at the flagrant disregard for the laws of the land by Tinubu.
He twitted that Tinubu was guilty of perjury because his present claims vary from details of an earlier affidavit he submitted to INEC.
Key on the Aribisala’s observation includes Tinubu’s claim under oath that he attended the Government College Ibadan (GCI) from 1965-1968. Probably in a veiled acceptance that he erred, Tinubu opted to expunge this from his personal documentation to INEC this time around.
However, Aribisala in calling this out, maintained that he was a student of the GCI between 1962-1968 but never noticed Tinubu’s presence there. “I was in GCI from 1962-1968, and Tinubu was not there,” he twitted.
He further averred that after he called out this misdemeanor in 2014, Tinubu has opted to mute that aspect of his life with a claim that he attended neither primary nor secondary school but holds several university certificates.
Aribasala twitted, “I wrote in 2014 that Tinubu’s affidavit that he attended Government College Ibadan (GCI) between 1965 and 1968 is false.
“I was in GCI from 1962-1968, and Tinubu was not there.
“Tinubu now tells INEC he did not go to primary or secondary school.
“This means he committed perjury.”
The tweet, as at Sunday had witnessed 11.3k retweets, 585 quotes, and 24.5k likes.
Another Twitter user, Daniel Regha, @DanielRegha in responding to Aribisala’s tweet, averred that the APC presidential flag bearer was also guilty of forgery.
Regha tweeted thus, “Tinubu didn’t only commit perjury. It’s safe to say that he also committed forgery because there’s no way one can get admitted into the tertiary institution without completing secondary school.
“This is the man many deem credible to lead Nigeria into prosperity? We are our own problems.”
The matter has been prominent in the social media space since Friday and has seen segments of the public pitched against one another.
The contention saw several critics and analysts airing their views on the matter, while Tinubu’s loyalists were working hard to counter.
Read Also >> Timi Frank Asks INEC To Disqualify Tinubu Over Certificate Controversy
In a veiled salvo on the matter, a journalist and public affairs analyst, Ikem Okuhu took to his social media page to point out that great men don’t fall from the sky.
He listed the names of his teachers in primary school, through the six classes and stated “I didn’t fall from the skies.”
In a more direct position, though, Okuhu averred in his Facebook page that he could recall over 20 of his primary school mates, over 30 of his secondary school mates, while his course mates at the university remain like family, fresh in memory.
He wrote, “I can mention at least 20 people that started primary school with me. If I think well, I can mention 30 or more of them with relative ease.
“Those I attended secondary school with are even easier. We are in the same WhatsApp group of which I am the admin.
“Those who were with me in the Mass Communication Department of the University of Nigeria (UNN) are of more recent memory. I also administer our WhatsApp group.
“I didn’t drop from the skies.”
While the issue continues to engage the attention of the media and public affairs analysts, some political gladiators are poised to test the efficacy of the judiciary in solving what a segment of the public describes as the mystery of Tinubu’s academic background.
The Centre for Reforms and Public Advocacy (CPRA) has made clear its intention to test the matter at the law courts. The Legal Adviser of the CRPA and human rights lawyer, Agu Kalu, divulged the position at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.
The CRPA has given the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, a 48-hour ultimatum to arrest and initiate criminal prosecution against Tinubu for allegedly supplying false academic qualifications to secure the nomination.
According to the group, should the IG fail to comply, they will approach a court of competent jurisdiction for an order of mandamus to compel him to effect the arrest of the APC flag bearer at the end of the ultimatum.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is intensifying its campaign against substance abuse by proposing mandatory drug integrity tests for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and individuals preparing for marriage.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), explained the rationale behind the proposal during a meeting with the NYSC leadership in Abuja on April 23, 2025.
Speaking to NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, Marwa clarified that the tests are not intended to be punitive but are part of a broader strategy to curb drug abuse and intervene early in cases of dependence.
READ ALSO: NYSC Pulls Out Corps Members From Benue Community
“It is always better to detect drug use early before it gets to addiction, which eventually could get to psychiatric problems, and it becomes a danger to the user and society,” Marwa stated.
While welcoming the new NYSC chief, Marwa commended the scheme as “a national treasure and a veritable instrument of national unity.”
He highlighted the alarming rate of drug use in the country and called for collective efforts in tackling the challenge.
“The drug scourge has continued to devastate our kids, families, and communities everywhere. There’s nowhere you go in the country that you don’t have a drug abuse problem,” he said. “One in seven Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 uses drugs.”
Marwa emphasized that while NDLEA is working hard to restrict access and availability of drugs, reducing demand is equally important.
He urged NYSC to play a more active role in this regard.
“You have mentioned our efforts to cut off access and availability of these drugs but beyond that, we have to work with all stakeholders, including NYSC to ensure drastic reduction in the demand for drugs by our youths, and one of our strategies to address this is through our drug integrity test, which we’re advocating that NYSC should embrace for corps members.”
He also praised the introduction of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) clubs in NYSC camps, describing them as a positive development, while calling for further collaboration in areas such as prevention, counseling, and rehabilitation.
“This is a major drug demand reduction effort. In the same way we said, if you are getting married, both the bride and the groom should bring a drug-free certificate,” he added.
According to Marwa, early detection remains key to managing substance abuse and preventing it from evolving into more severe health or social issues.
Residents of Istanbul were jolted by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, which struck the Marmara Sea near the city’s western fringes, prompting widespread concern but causing no immediate casualties.
The quake, which occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time (0949 GMT), originated in Silivri, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
“An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Marmara Sea, Istanbul,” he confirmed on X, formerly Twitter. Yerlikaya also noted that tremors were felt in nearby provinces.
READ ALSO: Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Myanmar, Shakes Southeast Asia
Following the initial tremor, Turkey’s disaster management authority, AFAD, reported three more earthquakes ranging from 4.4 to 4.9 in magnitude.
The seismic activity sent people fleeing onto the streets, with many seen anxiously checking their phones or making calls.
“I just felt earthquake, I’ve got to get out,” said a decorator who dashed out of a fourth-floor apartment near Galata Tower. He declined to give his name, visibly shaken by the experience.
Despite the intensity, there were no reports of injuries or building collapses in the city of approximately 16 million people.
“Until now, we have no information about any buildings collapsing,” the governor’s office stated, urging residents to avoid entering structures that may have sustained damage.
Reassuring citizens, the Istanbul municipality also confirmed, “No serious cases have been reported so far following the earthquake in Istanbul,” in a post on X.
Tremors from the quake were reportedly felt as far as Sofia, Bulgaria, according to AFP journalists in the capital.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as aftershocks persist and damage assessments are conducted across the region.
As violent attacks and killings continue to plague parts of Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia has ruled out the need for a state of emergency, insisting instead on immediate and absolute support from the Federal Government to combat the crisis.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, Governor Alia said the security situation, though dire, is not beyond the capacity of his administration to manage.
However, he emphasized that increased federal assistance is crucial to fully restoring peace to the troubled state.
READ MORE: No Safety Guarantee For Unscheduled Visitors To Benue – Gov Alia
“What we need is emergency help for now. We need absolute support,” the governor stated. “The federal government is supporting — they sent two armoured tanks that came in. Our situation had changed. We had a better narrative, but what we need to do is to get our people back home, to drive out the invaders… Calling for any emergency does not occur here.”
Alia blamed the persistent violence on armed herders, many of whom he claims are non-Nigerians. According to him, the assailants have displaced local farmers and occupied ancestral lands, creating a humanitarian and security crisis that needs urgent attention.
The governor also pointed to progress made under his administration, noting a reduction in the number of local government areas under attack from 17 to just six.
“We couldn’t have trimmed it from 17 local governments in the front lines of the attacks to nine and then now to six, which means we have the capability to do this — but we need help. And that is a fact,” he said.
Governor Alia reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the people of Benue and restoring displaced communities, but stressed that federal collaboration remains vital to achieving lasting peace in the state.
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