25 June , 2025
Former Vice President of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to clarify his alleged connection with Belarusian businessman Alex Zingman, following Tinubu’s claim that they were classmates at Chicago State University (CSU).
In a statement released by Atiku’s Media Office, he demanded transparency, questioning the credibility of Tinubu’s assertion due to inconsistencies in public records.
It could be recalled that Tinubu stated during the Renewed Hope Mechanisation Programme launch in Abuja on Monday that he and Zingman attended CSU together. Atiku raised concerns about Tinubu’s association with Zingman, whose reputation is reportedly marred by allegations of arms trafficking and financial misconduct in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Atiku noted that Zingman, born in 1966, would have been only 13 in 1979, when Tinubu claims to have graduated from CSU, casting doubt on the plausibility of their shared academic history.
He questioned the lack of verifiable classmates from Tinubu’s alleged time at Government College, Lagos, Government College, Ibadan, or CSU, and highlighted discrepancies, such as a 1970 certificate from a school founded in 1972.
He urged Tinubu to provide clear, factual evidence to address these inconsistencies, emphasizing that Nigerians deserve transparency and truth from their leader, as the presidency demands integrity, not secrecy.
