All Progressives Congress, APC, Publicity Secretary in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, has described falsification of age, educational qualification and source of wealth allegations against the party’s National Leader and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu as “unjustifiable.”

There have been series of allegations against Tinubu in the public space after declaration of his ambition to contest in 2023 presidential poll with the plan to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in May 29.

Oladejo, stated this on Tuesday, during a media parley on wide range of issues bordering on Lagos politics as well as APC leaders’ aspirations, held at the party’s Secretariat, Acme, Ikeja.

The APC scribe, who maintained that Tinubu has the right to contest the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 election, charged those kicking against his presidential ambition to be democratic and provide facts rather than resorting to cheap blackmail.

According to him, “Allegations and blackmail over Asiwaju Tinubu’s source of wealth, education qualification and age, are unjustifiable because they are accusations without substantive facts.

“it is very interesting that those in opposition suddenly have access to Asiwaju’s medical record and they have become the authority on his state of health.

“Tinubu’s movement to different parts of the country in the last few months showed that he is medically fit going by World Health Organisation WHO, which defines good health as a complete state of physical, psychology and social wellbeing.”

Oladejo, stressed that Tinubu should be commended for making his recent knee surgery public despite being a private citizen, adding that “since the APC National Leader returned back from his foreign medical trip, he has been moving across Nigeria, attesting to clearn bill of health.”

Speaking about the controversy trailing Tinubu’s age from some quarters, Oladejo said nothing has been hidden about the former Lagos State governor’s age, noting that “for over one and half decades, Aswaju has always celebrated his birthday. Come March 29, Asiwaju will be 70 years old. It is as clear as that.”

On Tinubu’s source of wealth, Oladejo stated that “Asiwaju’s wealth cannot be measured in monetary value and in terms of naira and kobo. His wealth should be measured by the goodwill and image he has built through development of men who are willing to play their parts at a time like this. These men are spread all over Nigeria.”

Oladejo said Tinubu has the required qualifications to be President of Nigeria based on constitutional provisions, that anybody running for the presidency must be 35 years old, be a card-carrying member of a political party and must be sponsored by a political party.

“Tinubu is eminently qualified to be Nigeria’s President because of the confidence people have in him having distinguished himself during his eight years as Governor of Lagos State as well as his contributions to national politics in the last three decades,” Oladejo stated.

According to him, “As at the last count, over 1,800 groups across the country are already clamouring for his candidature.”

“We are excited about Asiwaju’s aspiration. We are excited because for once we have someone who is aspiring, who is a willing aspirant to say. He is not been forced on us and he is not been thrown up by circumstances to run for the office.

As we speak, we have over 1,800 different groups across the country clamouring for Asiwaju Tinubu’s candidature and calling on him to throw his hat into the ring for the presidential election.

“Asiwaju is well-grounded and over time, he has built a whole lot of goodwill and image across the country; across various ethnic nationalities. Asiwaju over time has been a man of the people.

Looking at various issues such as economy, security, education, good health, among others in the country, it is high time for us to have a personality like Asiwaju to run for the presidency and we are very optimistic. The opposition will have their say but people will have their way,” he said.

Oladejo said the decision of Tinubu to contest for the presidency is already giving a lot of people sleepless nights, especially those who are interested in the presidency, but he believed that the APC’s national leader is a democrat who would never stop others from contesting.

He was optimistic of Tinubu defeating aspirants from South-West and other parts of the country during the APC presidential primaries and general elections because overwhelming acceptance and support across the country, adding that the clamour for Tinubu’s presidency is also from the North.

“Asiwaju is a democrat, the more the merrier when it comes to the number of aspirants aspiring for the presidency. I am sure with the various people supporting Asiwaju, there is no reason for us to lose sleep over anyone’s aspiration, especially someone who has not really made his aspiration clear.

”We should commend Asiwaju for the way he is approaching this race. First, he went to the incumbent president to inform him about his aspiration. He is yet to officially declare interest though,” Oladejo said.

The Governor said 27 (twenty-seven) credit hours were transferred from Richard Daley College to Chicago State University, where he obtained Bachelor of Science in Business and Administration. His major was in Accounting.

To back up his claim, the Governor produced the following documents:

1. a copy of a letter dated September 6, 1978 written by Andrew F. Sikula, Dean College of Business Administration, Chicago State University informing Mr. Bola Tinubu that he had made the Dean's honours list by making a 3.50 or better grade point average. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 6";

2. an inter-office memorandum of Chicago State University dated May 28, 1979 written by one Clyde Smith to the Honours Award Committee recommending Bola A. Tinubu as recipient of the outstanding senior award. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 7";

3. copies of May/June 1979 edition of the TEMPO, Chicago State University Campus journal covering Chicago State University Annual Awards Ceremony. Bola Tinubu was described as the President of the Accounting Society and was also said to be running for Student Government Association presidency. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 8";

4. a Chicago State University STATEMENT issued by the Accounts Receivable Department on June 15, 1979 with his social security number. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 9";

5. the Chicago State University Certificate dated 22nd day of June, 1979 conferring upon Bola A. Tinubu the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Administration (Accounting with honours). This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 10";

6. a copy of Chicago State University Outstanding Senior Award Certificate dated 5th July 1979, awarded to Bola A. Tinubu. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 11";

7. a copy of Chicago State University Departmental Certificate of Merit dated 5th July, 1979 presented to Bola A. Tinubu. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 12";

8. copy of year book of Chicago State University with the picture of Bola A. Tinubu on page 75. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 13";

9. Chicago State University academic record transcript) dated July 11th 1979. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 14";

10. copy of 1992 Social Democratic Party senatorial candidature form dated June 1 1992. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 15"; and

11. Chicago State University letter dated August 20th 1999 addressed To Whom It May Concern advising that Bola A. Tinubu did indeed attend Chicago State University from August 1977 through June 1979. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Administration with honours on June 22nd 1979. His major was Accounting. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 16".

The Governor informed us that before coming to Nigeria, he worked as an Accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells and at GTE Services Corporation. Enclosed herewith and marked "Annexure 17" and "Annexure 18" respectively are the pay slips relating to the above establishments.