Atiku Disputes Tinubu’s Claim of Chicago Classmate—‘Alex Was Only 13 Then’

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to clarify his alleged association with Belarusian businessman Alexander Zingman, following the President’s recent remarks at a public event suggesting they were schoolmates at Chicago State University (CSU).

During the launch of the Renewed Hope Mechanisation Programme in Abuja on Monday, President Tinubu referred to Zingman as a “very good friend” and “neighbour” from his days at CSU, sparking fresh scrutiny over long-standing controversies surrounding Tinubu’s academic history.

“Alex was my very good neighbour and went to the same school with me in Chicago,” Tinubu said. He praised the businessman for fostering international economic collaboration between Nigeria and Belarus.

However, in a statement issued Tuesday, the Atiku Media Office questioned the accuracy of Tinubu’s comments, pointing out that publicly available records show that Zingman was born in 1966, making him 13 years old in 1979 — the year Tinubu reportedly 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 quipped.

The former Vice President’s camp also raised broader concerns about inconsistencies in the President’s academic history, including the lack of verified classmates from both Government College, Lagos, and Chicago State University, as well as questions around the authenticity of certificates allegedly issued by institutions that had not yet been founded.

“Nigerians deserve to know why the mystery around your academic record deepens with every attempt to clarify it,” the statement read. “The Presidency is not a sanctuary for secrets — it is a platform for integrity.”

The development rekindles controversy that trailed the 2023 presidential elections, when Atiku sought a U.S. court order to subpoena Tinubu’s records from CSU, citing inconsistencies — including allegations that the institution once admitted a female student named Bola Tinubu, born in 1954.

Although CSU later confirmed Tinubu’s graduation, Tinubu attempted to block the release of further academic records. Nigeria’s Supreme Court ultimately dismissed new evidence in the certificate forgery case and upheld his electoral victory.

Who is Alexander Zingman?

Born on November 26, 1966, Alexander Zingman is a Belarusian businessman who studied robotics engineering at the Belarusian National Polytechnic University between 1985 and 1989, and later earned a master’s degree in business marketing from the University of Illinois, Chicago (1991–1995).

While Tinubu did not explicitly state that he and Zingman graduated together, his comments have led to renewed public scrutiny and political debate, especially over the timeline of their alleged association.