‘They now see all Nigerians as fraudsters,’ Obi says Tinubu’s certificate saga has worsened country’s image

Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has stated that the controversy over President Bola Tinubu’s Chicago State University (CSU) certificate, has further worsened Nigeria’s “less than glorious image’’ internationally.

The former Anambra State governor who addressed a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, noted that the certificate issue has affected the average Nigerian within and outside the country.

“To the outsiders, the entire Chicago University matter, as well as Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s many other lingering identity, question marks have further worsened Nigeria’s less than glorious image internationally,” Obi said.

“Uninformed outsiders now see every Nigerian as a fraudster, certificate forger, and identity thief. The controversy is unnecessary, and the implicit global embarrassment could have been avoided.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had secured release of Tinubu’s education records from the Chicago State University through a court subpoena.

The released records, which came first on October 3, showed that Tinubu’s 1979 CSU certificate he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was different from samples of the certificates the university issued to students that same year.