Certificate forger Bola Tinubu celebrates Teachers’ Day, says education can change destiny

Amid revelation of his certificate forgery, President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, celebrated Nigerian teachers, describing education as a miracle that changes the fortune.

“Education is the miracle that changes the fortune of a family in a single generation,” Mr Tinubu said in a statement shared on his official X account commemorating World Teachers Day.

While assuring that “Nigerian teachers under his watch will get their due reward,” Mr Tinubu emphasised the importance of education.

“I believe that there’s no vehicle that can transport you to your destination as safely as education. It is the reason every child, regardless of their background, awaits a future of vast possibilities,” said Mr Tinubu. Mr Tinubu last tweeted four days ago.

Mr Tinubu’s World Teacher Day statement comes amid revelation that he presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Decades of controversy over Mr Tinubu’s academic record took another turn after Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party approached the court to compel Chicago State University to grant him access to Mr Tinubu’s academic record.

After months of pushback from Mr Tinubu, the court compelled CSU to release Mr Tinubu’s record, a development followed by a deposition by the institution, revealing that Mr Tinubu presented a forged certificate to the Nigerian electoral body.

Caleb Westberg, the registrar at Chicago State University, said Mr Tinubu’s certificate, dated June 22, 1979, and tendered to INEC on June 17, 2022, was not issued by the school and its administrators could, therefore, not be able to authenticate its source, Peoples Gazette reported on Tuesday.

Also Read: Why I Rejected Tinubu As Running Mate In 2007 — Atiku

CSU’s deposition has sparked reactions amongst Nigerians with many calling for Mr Tinubu’s ouster in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Section 137 (1)(j) of the Nigerian Constitution (amended in 2010) specifically stated that no one would be legitimately elected president of Nigeria if the person “has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”