Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has taken legal action in the United States to ensure the timely release of his opponent, Bola Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University (CSU).
In a 17-page response filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Atiku’s legal team reiterated their stance on the earlier judgment that ordered the release of Tinubu’s academic records.
Atiku has urged the court to expedite the release of these documents before October 3, 2023, to facilitate their use in the Nigerian Supreme Court on October 5.
Atiku’s counsel, Angela Liu, outlined compelling reasons why Tinubu’s objections should be disregarded, stating the importance of transparency and fairness in the electoral process.
Atiku seeks not only to have Tinubu’s objections dismissed but also aims for the court to uphold Magistrate Jeffery T. Gilbert’s initial order. He further requests that CSU produces the required documents by October 2. In addition, the court is urged to schedule the deposition no later than October 3, allowing time for transcript finalisation.
To account for the time zone difference, the court is also asked to mandate that the discovery be sent to Nigeria by October 4. Ultimately, the evidence should be submitted to the Nigerian Supreme Court no later than October 5.
It’s important to recall that Atiku had previously obtained an order for CSU to make Tinubu’s academic records available to his legal team. However, Tinubu’s lawyers, in a bid to contest the decision, approached US District Judge Nancy Maldonado, who agreed to review the case and temporarily delayed the order until Monday.
Alleged discrepancies
Tinubu’s credentials show that he graduated from CSU in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting and management.
However, there have been allegations bordering on discrepancies with Tinubu’s certificate.
In a previous suit filed before the US district court, Abubakar prayed that the court should subpoena Tinubu’s files domiciled with CSU.
In his fresh application, Abubakar reiterated that there are discrepancies with Tinubu’s academic records.
“In addition to the different date, the June 22 diploma is different in numerous respects from the June 27 diploma submitted by intervenor to INEC,” Abubakar’s application reads.
“The June 22 diploma has a different font and seal and does not have the grammatical error in the June 27 diploma.”
