The ongoing legal battle between President Bola Tinubu and his main rival in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, in the US, is coming to close following the order that the president’s academic record be released.
A United States District Court in Northern Illinois had ordered the Chicago State University (CSU) to release the academic records of Tinubu to Atiku.
The development came after a U.S Judge, Nancy Maldonado, adopted all the ruling of Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the U.S. District Court.
Tinubu had objected to the Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert ruling ordering the immediate release of the academic records by the CSU.
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According to the President, releasing the documents with deposition would cause him severe harm because they were private to him and would not be admissible in the ongoing petition against him in Nigeria.
But Atiku filed another appeal, leading to the judge ordering that the documents be released within 48 hours.
“The Court overrules President Tinubu’s objections to Magistrate Judge Gilbert’s recommended ruling, and therefore adopts the ruling in full. Mr Abubakar’s application is therefore granted,” the judge ruled.
Below are the things Atiku sought though his lawyers:
- An example of a CSU diploma issued in 1979.
- Tinubu’s diploma issued in 1979
- Any example of a CSU diploma that “contains the same font, seal, signatures and wording” as Tinubu’s diploma issued in June 1979.
- CSU documents certified and produced by Jamar Orr, an associate general counsel at CSU at the time.
- Atiku also wants his lawyers to depose CSU officials about the authenticity of Tinubu’s academic documents.
Atiku is planning to transfer the collected evidence to the Supreme Court for use in the ongoing election petition case.
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal had struck out Atiku’s petition and upheld the victory of Tinubu in the February 25 election, but Atiku rejected the verdict and asked his lawyers to proceed to the Apex court.
