The United Action Front of Civil Society has issued a stern ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding that he apologize to Nigerians and resign from his position. This ultimatum comes in the wake of allegations of academic records forgery and perjury related to his purported academic qualifications from the Chicago State University (CSU).
In a statement released on Friday, the spokesperson for the Civil Society Organization (CSO), Hamisu Santuraki, expressed outrage over the situation and demanded both an apology and immediate resignation from President Tinubu. The group characterized the revelations as not only outrageous but also deeply embarrassing to all Nigerians.
“The leadership of United Action Front of Civil Society considers it a brazen criminality for President Tinubu to have forged the certificate supposedly awarded by a foreign academic institution and, by so doing, knowingly committed perjury under the law. By submitting forged documents to INEC, which included a declaration of false age, ‘President’ Tinubu flagrantly violated Chapter 6. Part 1. Section 137 (J) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The group further emphasized that the disclosure from CSU has substantiated longstanding suspicions regarding President Tinubu’s identity. It pointed out that during his tenure as the governor of Lagos State, there were uncertainties surrounding his personal information.
The statement highlighted that, in his sworn affidavit submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1999, Tinubu falsely claimed to have attended a non-existent Aroloya Primary School in Lagos, Government College in Ibadan, and the University of Chicago for a master’s degree in economics.
The CSO noted that President Tinubu should have resigned following these allegations if not for the immunity granted to state governors under the Nigerian constitution. It cited past instances where public figures were forced to resign over identity theft and false educational claims.
It added, “If within the next seven days, Tinubu does not apologise to all Nigerians and refuse to resign as President of Nigeria for the shame and disgrace he brought upon the country, the United Action Front of Civil Society demands that the National Assembly should demonstrate courage in protecting the image of the country.
The CSO considered President Tinubu’s alleged forgery of a foreign academic institution’s certificate and the submission of forged documents to INEC, including a declaration of false age, as a serious breach of the law, specifically Chapter 6, Part 1, Section 137 (J) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The group issued a clear directive that if President Tinubu does not apologize to Nigerians and refuse to resign within the next seven days, they expect the National Assembly to initiate the impeachment process against him.
This ultimatum and demand for resignation come at a time when the authenticity of President Tinubu’s academic records has been called into question, sparking a contentious public debate. The situation continues to develop, with various parties expressing their views and concerns on the matter.
