President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent comments identifying a Belarusian businessman as his former classmate at Chicago State University have reignited controversy over the authenticity of his academic background.

 

Speaking on Monday at the launch of the Renewed Hope Agriculture Mechanisation Programme in Abuja, Tinubu pointed to a man in the audience and said:

 

“To all of you, Alex was my very good neighbor, and went to the same school with me in Chicago. Never did we dream that I would be in this position as President of Nigeria and Alex a successful businessman from Belarus.”

 

 

 

The remark drew applause, and the man, identified only as Alex, stood to acknowledge the president’s comment. However, the comment has since triggered widespread skepticism and political backlash, especially from opposition circles.

 

Investigative efforts by journalists and online commentators quickly linked the “Alex” in question to Alex Zingman, a Belarusian national reportedly born in 1966. Zingman’s name has appeared in several international reports tied to alleged arms deals and controversial financial activities across Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

Critics have pointed out the timeline discrepancy, Tinubu claims to have graduated from Chicago State University in 1979, which would mean Zingman was only 13 years old at the time, far too young to have been a university classmate.

 

In response, the camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Tinubu’s main challenger in the 2023 presidential election, issued a strongly worded statement demanding clarity.

 

“Rather than evoke confidence, the claim has triggered more questions than answers,” the statement read, labeling Zingman a man “whose international reputation is mired in scandal.”

 

 

 

The statement also took aim at what it described as a pattern of concealment and contradictions surrounding Tinubu’s educational history:

 

It questioned how Tinubu could have presented a certificate from Government College, Lagos to gain admission to Richard Daley College in 1973, despite no verifiable classmates ever coming forward.

 

It highlighted an alleged certificate dated 1970 from a school established in 1972, suggesting serious inconsistencies.

 

And it criticized the president for failing to produce any confirmed classmates from Government College, Lagos, Government College, Ibadan, or Chicago State University.

 

 

“Mr. President, your oath of office binds you not just to protect our nation but to honour its truth. The Presidency is not a sanctuary for secrets ,  it is a platform for integrity,” the statement concluded.

 

 

 

The presidency has yet to issue a formal response, but the development has intensified calls for greater transparency and accountability regarding the president’s background.