A group called the Democracy Vanguard of Nigerians in Diaspora (DVND) has written a letter to the President of the United States, Joe Biden, requesting the derecognition of Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, based on allegations of forgery, perjury, and an alleged breach of the Nigerian constitution.

The letter, dated October 6, 2023, and signed by Timothy A. Sule, the President of DVND, was also copied to several U.S. officials, including the U.S. Secretary of State and the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It is titled “Chicago State University Certificate Scandal: A call to derecognize Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria’s President for forgery, perjury and flagrant breach of the constitution of Nigeria.”

The group highlights concerns about Tinubu’s academic credentials, alleging that the certificate he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the presidential election has discrepancies when compared to the academic records released by Chicago State University. They also claim that Tinubu has a history of issues, including allegations of drug trafficking and money laundering in the United States.

The letter argues that Mr. Tinubu’s actions breach sections of the Nigerian constitution and electoral law, and therefore he should be disqualified and derecognized as President. The DVND also calls on the U.S. to sever any ties with the “illegitimate government in Nigeria.

According to the letter, the Chicago State University has in compliance with the verdict of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois given in favor of Tinubu’s closest challenger, Mr. Atiku Abubakar released the academic records of Tinubu.

The letter said the United State should not be used as a catalyst for legitimizing and recognizing a man with serious character deficiencies.

It reads: “The Democracy Vanguard of Nigerians in Diaspora (a Non-Governmental and Non-Profit Organization involved in a global network for the protection of Democratic tenets around the world and especially on the continent of Africa) is constrained at this juncture to write to your office, drawing your kind attention to the unfolding scandalous actions of the President of Nigeria, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Mr. Tinubu was recently inaugurated as President of Nigeria after a keenly contested, highly disputed, and unconscionably rigged election. The election that brought in Mr. Tinubu was adjudged by both local and international election observers as mindlessly compromised, manipulated, and doctored in favor of Tinubu All Progressive Congress political party.

“Sundry allegations trailed Tinubu and his campaign in the build-up to the elections. Prominent among these allegations is the issue of being a big time drug baron in the United States where he was convicted for drug trafficking and money laundering and was ordered to forfeit the proceeds from the crime to the American Government to which Tinubu complied.

“Mr. Tinubu who possessed no Primary and High School certificates with no trace of ever attending classes or writing examinations for these certificates was also accused of falsifying the Chicago State University degree with which he contested the Nigeria’s presidential election.

“The constitution of the country stipulates that a candidate for the office of President of Nigeria must present a minimum of elementary certificates, in this case, the Primary School leaving Certificate.

“Mr. Tinubu failed to meet this requirement of the law. Rather, in his usual braggadocious and fraudulent manner, he allegedly submitted a Chicago State University forged certificate to the Nigeria’s electoral body.

“The Nigerian Constitution is trite to the effect that whoever presents a doctored or falsified documents to the electoral umpire shall summarily be disqualified. This, in our be the awaiting fate of Mr. Tinubu.

“Specifically, by Tinubu’s actions, he has breached Sections 137(1) J of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 134 of Nigeria’s Electoral Act. A community reading of these laws stipulate that any person who presents a forged certificate to the Electoral body stands disqualified from the election. In this case, Mr. Tinubu has deceitfully presented forged certificates to enable him to contest the presidential election, and he must be disqualified and derecognized as President.

“For democracy to thrive, laws must be obeyed, and the sanctity of electoral processes must be upheld by political actors and stakeholders. This is what is obtainable in the United States, where a former President is currently being tried in a court of law for various infractions.

“This noble body is, therefore, respectfully calling on you to use your good office to act by immediately severing any ties to the illegitimate government in Nigeria and to officially facilitate the derecognition of Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of Nigeria. Clearly, Tinubu has a questionable mandate and he lacks the legitimacy to govern Nigeria at the moment having repeatedly and shamelessly perjured over time.”
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