President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent remarks identifying a Belarusian businessman as his former classmate at Chicago State University have sparked renewed controversy over the authenticity of his academic history.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the opposition has now questioned both the identity of the man and the credibility of the president’s long-contested records.
While speaking on Monday at the launch of the Renewed Hope Agriculture Mechanisation Programme in Abuja, President Tinubu made a surprising reference to a man seated in the audience.
“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,” Tinubu said, prompting applause as the man, identified as Alex, stood in acknowledgment.
The comment has since snowballed into a major political flashpoint. Investigations by online users and political commentators quickly linked “Alex” to Mr. Alex Zingman, a Belarusian national whose name has featured in multiple international reports involving alleged arms trafficking and questionable financial activities in parts of Africa, including Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Records uncovered suggest that Mr. Zingman was born in 1966 — raising immediate questions about the president’s publicly stated records. Tinubu has previously claimed to have graduated from Chicago State University in 1979. If accurate, that would mean Zingman was only 13 years old at the time — an unlikely age for a university graduate, let alone a classmate.
The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Tinubu’s main challenger in the 2023 presidential election, issued a statement on Tuesday calling the president’s remarks “deeply troubling” and demanding clarity on both the identity of the man and Tinubu’s academic history.
“Rather than evoke confidence, the claim has triggered more questions than answers,” the statement said, pointing out the age gap and referring to Zingman as a “man whose international reputation is mired in scandal.”
The statement from Atiku’s media office further framed the president’s remarks as part of a broader pattern of obfuscation. It highlighted a series of alleged long-standing inconsistencies surrounding Tinubu’s educational journey.
“Mr. President, Nigerians deserve to know why, since you claim to have presented a certificate from Government College, Lagos to gain entry into Richard Daley College in 1973, no classmate from that institution has ever spoken of sharing a desk with you.
“Mr. President, Nigerians deserve to know how a school founded in 1972 could issue you a certificate dated 1970—unless you were a lone prophet of a school yet unborn.
“Mr. President, Nigerians deserve to know why you have not proudly unveiled a single verifiable classmate from your supposed years in Government College, Lagos or Government College, Ibadan or Chicago State University, the way other leaders do with ease and pride.
“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. And as such, Nigerians await not tales of Alexes from distant lands but proof, clarity, and the simple dignity of facts.”
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
