The camp of Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has reacted to the Nigerian government’s accreditation of universities from Benin Republic and Togo.
The group describes the suspension as a “deceptive” move that ignores a bigger problem, demanding the federal government to also suspend that of the Chicago State University.
Reacting to the suspension announced on Tuesday, January 2nd, Atiku’s spokesperson, Abdul Rasheeth, took to social media, accusing the government of hypocrisy and selective action.
“Universities in Benin and Togo are not the only ones culpable in certificate racketeering,” Rasheeth wrote. “Suspending their accreditation is nothing but deception! This isn’t the first time FG is doing that!”
He pointed to Chicago State University (CSU) and its affiliates as a prime example of institutions allegedly involved in “nefarious means and unconscionable methods” of issuing degrees.
Rasheeth’s reaction stems from Atiku’s long-standing legal battle against President Bola Tinubu, who emerged victorious in the 2023 election. Atiku had challenged Tinubu’s eligibility based on alleged discrepancies in his educational credentials, specifically questioning documents from CSU.
Recall that Atiku’s lawyers claimed the documents showed Tinubu attending Government College Lagos in 1970, two years before the school’s official establishment. This, they argued, rendered him ineligible to contest the presidency.
However, the Supreme Court threw out the claim and upheld Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.