Chicago State University confirms Tinubu attended institution

Chicago State University (CSU) has officially confirmed that President Bola Tinubu attended the institution and successfully graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. This confirmation came in response to allegations by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 Nigerian election, regarding the authenticity of Tinubu’s academic records from CSU.

The university clarified its position, stating that while they can confirm Tinubu’s attendance and graduation, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a United States federal law, restricts them from providing any additional information without consent or a court order. The university further explained that they consider the diploma a ceremonial document and not part of a student’s official academic file, hence its inability to authenticate it.

But in the statement CSU issued to CBS yesterday, the university explained: “As an educational institution, we are sometimes asked to provide information related to student records. Federal law known as FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects the privacy of student records and limits what an institution can release.“In August 2023, a request was made to the U.S. federal court for the university to provide information related to educational records concerning Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, and a former CSU student.
“The university has confirmed Tinubu attended CSU and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. Federal law, however, prevents us from providing any further information without consent or unless allowed to do so via court order.

“CSU is confident in the veracity and integrity of our records regarding Tinubu’s completion of graduation requirements and degree certificate. The university is not a party to the Nigerian legal proceedings that spurred this request, and a U.S. federal judge will determine whether the university will provide further requested information.

“Our response to the request for Tinubu’s academic records has been entirely consistent with our practices, policies and federal law. We would respond in exactly the same manner for any request for any student information by a third party.”
Chicago State University Statement to CBS:

As an educational institution, we are sometimes asked to provide information related to student records. Federal law known as FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects the privacy of student records and limits what an institution can release.
In August 2023, a request was made in U.S. federal court for the university to provide information related to educational records concerning Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, and a former CSU student. The university has confirmed Tinubu attended CSU and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. Federal law, however, prevents us from providing any further information without consent or unless allowed to do so via court order.

CSU is confident in the veracity and integrity of our records regarding Tinubu’s completion of graduation requirements and degree certificate. The university is not a party to the Nigerian legal proceedings that spurred this request, and a U.S. federal judge will determine whether the university will provide further requested information.

Our response to the request for Tinubu’s academic records has been entirely consistent with our practices, policies and federal law. We would respond in exactly the same manner for any request for any student information by a third party.