Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate for the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has made a public appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to disclose comprehensive details about his educational background and personal identity.
This call came during a press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday, as Obi emphasized the importance of transparency and clarity in the lead-up to the elections.
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, called on Tinubu to provide a full account of his educational history, including the names of schools he attended, his participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and any changes to his name during his lifetime.
Obi stressed the significance of this disclosure, stating that it would help eliminate doubts and potential international embarrassment surrounding Tinubu’s identity. He asserted, “Mr. Tinubu should tell the nation his true name, the schools he attended, where he served, and the certificates he obtained. He must do this task once and now.
This request follows a recent development where a United States court ordered Chicago State University to release Bola Tinubu’s academic records, at the request of Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President. Atiku had raised concerns regarding the authenticity of the certificate submitted by Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Peter Obi, in his press statement, pointed out that the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s identity and educational qualifications has tarnished Nigeria’s international image, potentially casting doubts on the credibility of Nigerians as a whole.
He lamented that these unnecessary controversies could have been avoided, especially considering Tinubu’s prominent position as a former governor and a presidential aspirant.
“In my opinion, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu should have saved the nation and himself this protracted embarrassment and undue anxiety. Chief Ahmed Bola Tinubu still holds the nation on the world obligation only he can discharge. I therefore respectfully and humbly call on him to immediately perform a simple task once and for all. He should introduce himself to the nation he governs and to the world for the avoidance of further doubt, Obi remarked.
“He should let the world know his name, nationality, place of birth, parentage, primary and secondary schools attended with dates, as well as the actual universities attended and certificates obtained.
Obi further added, He should indicate clearly where and when he did his National Youth Service (NYSC). In addition, if at any time, he had a change of name, he should state so clearly.”
