A man who says he once taught at Chicago State University has accused President Bola Tinubu of lying about his education. His claims reopen a dispute that has trailed the president for years. The remarks aired in a televised interview and spread quickly on X on November 8, 2026.
The speaker, identified only as a former lecturer, said he worked at the university from 1985 to 1990. He claimed he directed the program Tinubu supposedly attended. “Tinubu is a professional bonafide liar,” he said. He further alleged that Tinubu never attended the institution and “knows that I know.”
He also described a 1999 episode. According to him, people seeking information on Tinubu’s records approached him, and he handed over what he had. However, he presented no documents during the interview. He added that he urged those researchers to campaign on performance instead. “This is not how you win elections,” he recalled telling them.
Beyond the education question, the former lecturer turned to the economy. He argued that poverty, unemployment and insecurity keep rising under the administration. Consequently, he predicted that voters would reject the president in the next election. “The people are not going to vote for rubbish,” he said. He also dismissed the governors backing Tinubu, insisting the contest will pit them against ordinary citizens.
Meanwhile, the presidency’s camp has already offered its own account. Education Minister Tunji Alausa said on Channels Television on November 3 that Tinubu graduated with first-class honours in accounting from Chicago State. He added that he lived in Chicago for almost 30 years, visited the campus and met Tinubu’s former classmates. The lecturer brushed those assurances aside. “The education minister works for the president,” he said.
The public record, however, tells a different story from the lecturer’s. Chicago State University has said Tinubu attended from 1977 to 1979 and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. The school made that confirmation after Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party candidate, pursued Tinubu’s records through a United States federal court. In addition, a self-described classmate, Olajide Adeniji, testified that he studied alongside Tinubu during those years.
Still, the controversy has never fully faded. Atiku’s team questioned the authenticity of the diploma and challenged the signatures on it. Tinubu’s lawyers, for their part, blamed a clerical error for discrepancies on the certificate. Critics have kept pressing the issue, while supporters insist the university settled it.
The lecturer’s timeline also raises a basic question. He places his tenure between 1985 and 1990, yet the university’s records show Tinubu graduated in 1979. Therefore, observers will want to know how he could have directed a program Tinubu attended. Soj World News could not independently verify his employment history or his claims, and he offered no supporting evidence in the clip.
The show’s host noted that the floor remains open for a right of reply. Accordingly, the presidency’s spokesperson and other officials may respond. As of publication, no response had surfaced.
The exchange shows how heated the build-up to the 2027 election has become. Opponents continue to challenge the president’s credentials and record. Supporters, in turn, point to the university’s confirmations. Soj World News will update this report when the presidency responds.
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