Fresh controversy has erupted over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s academic records after he introduced a Belarusian businessman, Alex Zingman, as his former classmate at Chicago State University during a public event in Abuja on Monday, June 23.
Speaking at the launch of the Renewed Hope Agriculture Mechanisation Programme, President Tinubu pointed to a man in the crowd, stating, “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 man, identified as Alex, stood and acknowledged the applause. However, the president’s comment swiftly ignited scrutiny online and among political observers.
Investigations quickly linked the man to Alex Zingman, a Belarusian national allegedly involved in controversial arms deals and financial activities across Africa.
Zingman’s Age Sparks Doubts Over Tinubu’s Timeline
![Belarusian businessman Alex Zingman was recently paraded as a classmate of President Bola Tinubu at the Chicago State University (CSU). [EU Political Report]](https://image.api.sportal365.com/process/smp-images-production/pulse.ng/24062025/602f917b-410a-4dc1-abc2-5d5ddeb63e46.jpeg?operations=fit(1042:))
Belarusian businessman Alex Zingman was recently paraded as a classmate of President Bola Tinubu at the Chicago State University (CSU). [EU Political Report]
More troubling, records show Zingman was born in 1966, a timeline that contradicts Tinubu’s claim of graduating from Chicago State University in 1979. If Zingman were his classmate, he would have been only 13 years old at the time.
The development has reignited doubts about Tinubu’s long-contested academic history. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s camp reacted sharply on Tuesday, calling the president’s comments “deeply troubling.”
“Rather than evoke confidence, the claim has triggered more questions than answers,” Atiku’s media office said, describing Zingman as a “man whose international reputation is mired in scandal.”
Atiku’s Camp Accuses Tinubu of Dodging Academic Truth
Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu [Getty Images/Facebook]
In a strongly worded statement, Atiku’s camp framed the president’s remarks as part of a troubling pattern of secrecy surrounding his educational credentials.
“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,” the statement read.
It added, “The Presidency is not a sanctuary for secrets, it is a platform for integrity… Nigerians await not tales of Alexes from distant lands but proof, clarity, and the simple dignity of facts.”
As the controversy grows, the presidency has yet to issue an official clarification.