Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to clarify his ties to Belarusian businessman Alex Zingman, following the President’s claim that Zingman was his classmate at Chicago State University (CSU).
The revelation, made during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Mechanisation Programme in Abuja, has reignited scrutiny over President Tinubu’s academic history and his association with a figure linked to international controversies.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Atiku Media Office demanded transparency, questioning the credibility of the President’s claim and highlighting discrepancies in publicly available information.
Records show that Zingman was born in 1966, making him just 13 years old in 1979, the year President Tinubu claims to have graduated from CSU.
“Are we now to believe that the Guinness Book of Records missed the story of a 13-year-old Belarusian prodigy graduating from an American university alongside Bola Ahmed Tinubu?” the statement read.
The Atiku Media Office also raised broader concerns about the President’s academic records, including the absence of verifiable classmates from his time at Government College, Lagos, and Chicago State University. It questioned how a school founded in 1972 could have issued a certificate dated 1970, as claimed by the President.
“Mr. President, Nigerians deserve to know why the mystery around your academic record deepens with every attempt to clarify it. Who truly walked the halls of Chicago State University with you?” the statement asked.
Reports have linked Zingman to various international business dealings, some of which have been the subject of scrutiny. His association with President Tinubu has prompted calls for clarity on the nature of their relationship and its implications.
“Mr. President, Nigerians deserve to know the nature of your relationship with Alex Zingman and whether he was indeed your classmate at Chicago State University,” the statement added.
The Atiku Media Office emphasized the importance of integrity and accountability in public office, urging President Tinubu to address these questions with transparency.
“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 stressed.
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