Tinubu’s Degree Under Fire: U.S. Law Firm Demands Chicago State University Revoke Certificate

A high-stakes legal battle is taking shape in the United States as a Chicago-based law firm prepares to ask the courts to compel Chicago State University (CSU) to revoke the only academic certificate held by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. The move follows claims that Tinubu used falsified documents to gain admission into the university in the 1970s.

Options Law Group, P.C., acting on behalf of the Nigerian civic organization Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, is seeking a judicial order—known as a writ of mandamus—that would require CSU to cancel Tinubu’s bachelor’s degree. The law firm’s decision comes after the university reportedly ignored multiple formal requests sent between March and April 2025 demanding action over what the group describes as “egregious forgery.”

According to internal communications reviewed by PG, the civic group alleges that Tinubu submitted a secondary school certificate from Government College, Lagos, dated 1970—four years before the school was established and well before it produced any graduates. This alleged falsehood, the group says, formed the basis of his admission to CSU in 1977 and ultimately led to the awarding of a business administration degree in 1979.

The law firm warned CSU in an April 1 letter that it would pursue legal action if the university failed to act within 14 days. The letter, also copied to the Illinois Attorney-General’s Office, insisted the school could no longer maintain its support for the embattled certificate.

Though CSU confirmed in 2023 that Tinubu attended and graduated from the university, it was unable to authenticate the certificate he presented to Nigeria’s electoral commission, INEC. Court-ordered disclosures showed that the only academic document Tinubu submitted to gain university admission was the questionable 1970 high school certificate.

The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, which is spearheading the legal action, is led by Kalu Kalu Agu, a lawyer with close ties to opposition leader and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Although Mr. Kalu has long been associated with Mr. Abubakar’s political campaigns, he denied any direct sponsorship or involvement by the former vice president in the ongoing legal initiative.

Legal experts familiar with U.S. education law note that American universities have previously revoked degrees when evidence of admission fraud emerged. Citing precedents such as *Crook v. Baker* and *Trauth v. K.E.*, the firm maintains that degree revocation is permissible where there is proof of academic dishonesty. These cases emphasize that universities must provide the accused a fair hearing before taking such action, but ultimately, institutions are allowed to annul degrees obtained under fraudulent circumstances.

Presidency sources acknowledged over the weekend that President Tinubu is aware of the legal action and views it as a serious threat. His legal team, however, dismissed the case as frivolous and already settled. “This is a matter that has been litigated to the fullest, and Nigerians have already moved on,” said presidential attorney Oluwole Afolabi. “President Bola Tinubu has no time for nuisance lawsuits. He’s focused on delivering for Nigerians.”

Yet, critics argue that the legal and political consequences of this case could be far-reaching, especially as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections. Tinubu’s eligibility to seek reelection may hinge on whether the CSU degree—his only submitted academic qualification—remains valid.

Under Nigerian law, presidential candidates must possess at least a secondary school certificate or its equivalent. Tinubu, however, did not present such documentation to INEC, instead relying solely on his CSU degree. He claimed that his earlier school records were lost during a raid on his home by the military regime in the 1990s, a period during which he lived in exile. It remains unclear whether he ever filed a formal report on the loss of those documents.

The Nigerian Supreme Court avoided ruling on the authenticity of Tinubu’s academic credentials during Atiku Abubakar’s legal challenge following the 2023 election. However, with a U.S. court potentially set to weigh in, the issue may again dominate Nigeria’s political discourse in the run-up to 2027.