Chicago State University (CSU) has confirmed that Nigerian President Bola Tinubu attended the institution and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Administration.
In a statement published by CBS News, the university expressed confidence in the veracity of their records regarding Tinubu’s graduation.
However, US federal law, specifically the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), restricts the release of student records without consent or a court order.
The controversy surrounding Tinubu’s academic records escalated when the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, sought Tinubu’s academic documents and depositions from CSU officials in a US court.
Tinubu’s academic records
The court hearing in Chicago did not result in a ruling on the request.
The statement from Chicago State University emphasized their compliance with FERPA and their commitment to protecting the privacy of student records.
A US federal judge will ultimately decide whether the university will provide further information in response to the request for Tinubu’s academic records.
The university clarified that it is not a party to the Nigerian legal proceedings that led to the request and reiterated its consistent response to requests for student information from third parties.