Atiku’s legal team receives President Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University
In a recent development, the legal team representing Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party has received academic records belonging to President Bola Tinubu from Chicago State University (CSU).
This was made known to Neptune Prime by an impeccable source who craved for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press. It comes after a United States Court ordered CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records to Atiku Abubakar by Tuesday.
Presiding judge, Nancy Maldonado, dismissed Tinubu’s objection and issued a two-day ultimatum to CSU to release the requested documents to Atiku. This decision upholds the previous ruling made by US Magistrate Judge, Jeffery Gilbert, who agreed that Atiku had the right to access Tinubu’s academic records.
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Justice Maldonado of the Northern District of Illinois ruled in favor of Atiku, stating, “The Court therefore grants Mr. Abubakar’s application under 28 U.S.C. § 1782.” She also directed CSU to complete all necessary filings for the release by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
According to the court’s ruling, “Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in response to Requests for Production Nos. 1 through 4 in Mr. Abubakar’s subpoena, by 12:00 p.m. (noon) CDT, on Monday, October 2, 2023. The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.”
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had approached the US District Court in Northern Illinois to compel CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records. He argued that these records would support his case challenging the President’s election in the February 25 presidential poll.
Abubakar specifically requested the documents for use in Nigerian courts, as it would strengthen his argument that Tinubu allegedly forged a certificate obtained from CSU in 1979. Tinubu had submitted this certificate to Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku’s legal team believes that the release of Tinubu’s academic records will provide substantial evidence supporting their claim of certificate forgery.