Atiku optimistic after court ruling, says Tinubu’s secrets should be made public
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has applauded the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for granting him a subpoena for the records of President Bola Tinubu at Chicago State University (CSU).
He said the records will unveil alleged secrets Tinubu has hidden from the public for more than two decades and will also help his [Atiku’s] case at the Supreme Court which will decide his appeal against the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on September 6 which affirmed the election of Tinubu.
Atiku stressed through his Media Aide Paul Ibe that his quest is to strengthen democracy as Nigerians deserve to know the truth about Tinubu.
“Yes, the court has ruled that Chicago [State] University should disclose Tinubu’s record. That is a welcome development. Nigeria has a lesson to learn from it; the lesson is about justice versus judgment,” Ibe said.
“It is not only Atiku Abubakar that is interested in unraveling all the secrecy surrounding Tinubu’s certificate. It is not only the former vice president that is desirous about it, all Nigerians are.
“Everybody wants Tinubu’s veil of secrecy lifted so that we conclusively know that this man is who he claims he is.
“This is important, otherwise he won’t have legitimacy because there are secrecy, doubts, and suspicions about who he is, the school he went to, his records, and all. This is about his background and every other part of his life.”
PDP National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor also commended the court order.
“The United States District Court ruling directing Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic record is highly commendable and it will help our candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and PDP’s appeal before the apex court,’’ Osadolor enthused.
Emmanuel Ogebe, a Nigerian-American international human rights lawyer with US Nigeria Law Group in Washington, who flew to Abuja to witness the PEPC proceedings in person, argued it is possible for Atiku to use the evidence at the Nigerian Supreme Court (https://www.thenicheng.com/tinubu-all-eyes-now-on-the-u-s-judiciary/)
Ogebe quoted the comment of US court Judge as follows:
“Applicant responds that in his intended appeal of the Nigerian Court of Appeal Decision, the Supreme Court of Nigeria can consider new evidence in ‘exceptional circumstances’ under the Nigerian Electoral Act of 2022 and/or in its discretion, and he provides a declaration to that effect from his counsel in the Nigerian Proceedings. Applicant’s Reply [ECF No. 22], at 10; Uwais Decl. [ECF No. 24], at ¶12 & Ex. G.
“Applicant further argues that whether the Supreme Court of Nigeria actually would consider any evidence obtained through discovery in this case is irrelevant to the ‘for use’ analysis because the statute does not impose a foreign admissibility requirement. Applicant’s Reply [ECF No. 22], at 7.”
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UPDATED: US court orders CSU to release Tinubu’s records to Atiku within two days
Admission transcript of ‘Bola A. Tinubu’ belongs to a ‘female’, CSU confirms
Scam buster Hundeyin calls Tinubu’s CSU ‘classmate’ Ogunsanya a hoaxer
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APC not bothered about exposure of Tinubu’s secrets
APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Duro Meseko said the party is not bothered by the US court order as Tinubu has said over and again he has nothing to hide.
“His records are there for all to see. Chicago [State] University has also written severally to say that this man is from us. Nothing has changed. There is no cause for alarm. It is an expedition in futility,” Meseko stressed, per The PUNCH.
An Aso Rock official also wondered what Atiku stands to achieve by getting the documents.
“After getting the President’s records, how will that help Atiku’s case? The university has not recanted its often-stated position that President Tinubu graduated in 1979 from the school,” said the official who did not want his name published.
“Atiku and PDP are chasing shadows. The President’s academic records have no probable value to Atiku’s case in court.
“At Supreme Court, you can’t plead new evidence outside what you frontloaded at the court of first instance which is the Appeal Court that has decided on the Presidential election petition.’’