I defended Tinubu on certificate controversy until new facts emerged – Ayo Adebanjo

 








Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural
group, says Nigerians should be ashamed to have a president with a certificate
"baggage".



Adebanjo spoke in a 41-minute interview ">published by PUNCH on Sunday.



During the presidential election tribunal, Atiku Abubakar,
flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, had contested
the authenticity of the Chicago State University (CSU) certificate presented to
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Bola Tinubu.



Tinubu had said he lost his original certificates and
presented a replacement of his CSU diploma to INEC for the 2023 presidential
election.





Following a court order, the university later released
Tinubu's academic records, saying his replacement certificate matched its
format.



But the Afenifere leader said without technicalities, no
honest person can defend Tinubu on the matter.



"There is no truth in what he says. That's the
unfortunate thing. I feel sorry for the country, particularly Tinubu defenders,
can they be proud? Whether true or not, why is it him? When they finally
produced the record from the university, it was even more damaging,"
Adebanjo said.



"In this Tinubu saga, you presented the certificate
from the university, now they are trying to change (the conversation) to his
attendance at the university.



"How many people attended the university and never
completed it or even dropped out? You said you attended and have the
certificate, and the registrar said they don't know about the certificate. What
more do you want?



"This is what makes me sad in this country and those
still saying something in defence of this ugly situation where we should cover
our face as Nigerians that the man we produced to be our president has his
baggage. I am concerned."



Adebanjo said he had defended Tinubu on the certificate
scandal in the past because of the little knowledge he had on the matter.



"Mind you, I should be one of those who should be proud
that Tinubu is the president of this country because I made him the governor of
Lagos state. When this certificate saga started, I was the one who defended
him. I defended him from the fact I saw at that time. But when some facts are
now coming up, I folded my arms," he said.



"Forget technicalities, do the substantial justice. Can
any honest person, in view of the exposure from the university, say he (Tinubu)
got that certificate from the university?"