The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has downplayed the controversies surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s academic certificate, describing it as a “trivial matter” and a distraction. Tuggar made these comments during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
He noted that despite the controversy, President Tinubu has met with world leaders and the issue of his certificate has not been a topic of discussion in his recent international engagements. Tuggar emphasized that foreign leaders and international organizations are not interested in wasting time on such matters.
Tuggar also pointed out that similar controversies had arisen in the past, citing former President Muhammadu Buhari as an example, and stressed that these distractions should not take precedence over the major issues of development.
He urged Nigerians to concentrate on addressing the economic challenges the country faces rather than focusing on certificate qualifications.
The controversy surrounding President Tinubu’s certificate arose after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, requested the release of the President’s academic records from Chicago State University (CSU).
Magistrate Jeffrey Gilbert initially granted Atiku’s request for the release of Tinubu’s academic records, but the President filed a review of the order. Ultimately, Justice Nancy Maldonado, a federal judge, overruled Tinubu’s objections and ordered CSU to release the records.
The documents from CSU, which went viral, responded to Atiku’s requests, including providing copies of diplomas issued to other students with matching formats. However, they noted that they couldn’t locate a copy of Tinubu’s original 1979 diploma.
In summary, Minister Yusuf Tuggar dismissed the controversy over President Tinubu’s academic certificate as a trivial distraction and emphasized the need to focus on more significant issues, particularly addressing economic challenges in Nigeria.