Chicago State University (CSU) has officially handed over President Bola Tinubu’s academic records to lawyers representing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
This development comes in response to a court order issued by U.S. District Judge Nancy Maldonado, who instructed CSU to release the records within 48 hours.
The legal battle over President Tinubu’s academic credentials began when Atiku Abubakar filed an application on August 2, 2023, under 28 U.S.C. § 1782. The matter was referred to Magistrate Judge Gilbert for resolution. President Tinubu later filed a motion to intervene, which the court granted.
Independent journalist David Hundeyin, who has extensively covered the case, confirmed the handover of documents from CSU to Atiku Abubakar’s legal team. He stated that depositions would follow, and their lawyers were diligently reviewing the documents.
The motive behind Atiku Abubakar’s pursuit of President Tinubu’s academic records is to shed light on what he believes to be a “shady past.”
Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had recently appealed against the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which had dismissed their case against President Tinubu’s election victory.
Pedro Obaseki, Director of Research and Documentation of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization, emphasized the importance of public disclosure, alleging that the certificate’s owner is a woman.
He argued that this disclosure would strengthen Atiku’s case at the Supreme Court, as fresh evidence might compel the court to reconsider the petitions.
Judge Nancy Maldonado noted the significant public interest in the case but emphasized that the court’s review would be limited to the parties’ briefing and the official record on the docket.
The unfolding legal battle promises to have far-reaching implications on Nigeria’s political landscape, potentially influencing the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision.