PDP and Atiku’s Team Praise US Court Decision to Reveal Tinubu’s Academic Records
In response to a recent ruling by the United States District Court, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Atiku Abubakar’s legal team have lauded the decision to unveil President Bola Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed these efforts, deeming Atiku’s pursuit of Tinubu’s academic records from a US university as a fruitless endeavor. According to the APC, President Tinubu has consistently maintained transparency regarding his educational background and holds nothing to hide.
The US District Court, presided over by Judge Jeffrey Gilbert, has ordered Tinubu’s alma mater, Chicago State University, to release all pertinent and non-privileged documents related to Tinubu’s education to Atiku within a two-day timeframe. These documents include admission records, attendance dates, degrees, awards, and honors conferred upon Tinubu during his time at the university.
However, the APC remains unfazed by the court order, reiterating President Tinubu’s transparency and asserting that this legal pursuit is futile.
A presidential aide emphasized that President Tinubu’s academic records hold no relevance to Atiku’s case, as the former vice president cannot present new evidence in court beyond what was previously submitted to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which ruled in favor of President Tinubu on September 6.
The court order has prompted curiosity about its implications for the pending presidential election petition appeals filed by Atiku and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, at the Supreme Court. These appeals challenged Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the presidential election.
Atiku initiated the legal action in the US to compel Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records, alleging that they were forged.
Tinubu’s credentials indicate that he graduated from Chicago State University in 1979 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, and Management. However, allegations of discrepancies regarding his certificate have arisen.
Public affairs analyst Durojaiye Ogunsanya affirmed Tinubu as his classmate at Chicago State University and clarified that both he and the President graduated in 1979. The university itself confirmed Tinubu’s attendance.
In response to these claims, Atiku sought to obtain Tinubu’s records to clarify his educational journey. The US court’s order has stirred debate and public interest in the matter.
The university has acknowledged that it will make Tinubu’s academic records public once the court order is granted, although it expressed confusion over the relevance of these records to a foreign election challenge in 2023.
Atiku’s quest for transparency has received support from many quarters, with netizens even pressuring Chicago State University to lock its Twitter page after the court order was issued. Atiku argues that unveiling Tinubu’s educational history is vital for the public to understand the President’s background.
In response to the court’s ruling, Tinubu’s legal team claimed that clerical errors were responsible for discrepancies in his academic records, particularly in the date of graduation. The court has ordered the release of relevant and non-privileged documents while acknowledging Tinubu’s lawyers’ arguments.
While the impact of the US court order on Atiku’s appeal at the Supreme Court remains uncertain, both the PDP and Atiku have commended the ruling as a step towards transparency and justice, suggesting that it could aid their case before the apex court.
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