BRUSSELS — Human rights lawyer and opposition counsel, Barrister Kalu Kalu, has petitioned the European Commission in Brussels over allegations concerning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s academic credentials and a long-standing United States forfeiture case involving $460,000.
The petition, according to a report by 247UReports published on Friday, August 14, 2026, seeks to draw the attention of European institutions and international democratic partners to what Kalu described as unresolved questions surrounding the Nigerian President’s eligibility, constitutional requirements and adherence to the rule of law.
At the centre of the petition are allegations that documents relating to Tinubu’s academic qualifications submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were forged, as well as the 1993 forfeiture order issued by a United States federal court concerning $460,000 linked to narcotics proceeds in Chicago.
Kalu reportedly argued that the issues go beyond partisan politics, contending that questions surrounding the constitutional eligibility and background of political office holders have implications for the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
He therefore urged the European Union, European Parliament and other international democratic institutions to scrutinise their diplomatic engagement with the Nigerian administration in light of the allegations.
The move comes against the backdrop of renewed efforts by opposition groups and civil society organisations to internationalise concerns over electoral credibility, judicial independence and democratic governance in Nigeria.
However, the allegations contained in the petition remain contested.
Presidency officials and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress have repeatedly dismissed similar allegations concerning President Tinubu as politically motivated and previously litigated matters. They have also maintained that the President’s academic records from Chicago State University were authenticated during the various legal proceedings arising from the 2023 presidential election.
The latest petition is therefore expected to renew debate over the President’s educational records, the historical U.S. forfeiture proceedings and the extent to which foreign governments and international institutions should engage with allegations arising from Nigeria’s domestic political disputes.
The European Commission’s response to the petition, if any, had not been publicly disclosed in the report as of publication.
