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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.
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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.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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