Tinubu Urges Supreme Court to reject Chicago State University Deposition because it was conducted by U.S. lawyers, not court officers.
In the ongoing legal battle for Nigeria’s presidency, President Bola Tinubu has made a significant move by asking the Supreme Court to dismiss the evidence presented by his rival, Atiku Abubakar. The basis for this request is the assertion that the deposition of Caleb Westberg, registrar of the Chicago State University (CSU), was conducted by U.S. attorneys, rather than certified judicial officers.
President Tinubu, in his counter-affidavit filed on October 12, aimed to defend himself against Atiku Abubakar’s petitions to overturn his election victory at the highest court. In this legal maneuver, President Tinubu raised doubts about the credibility of the deposition.
Read Also Atiku also used fake primary, secondary school certificates , Tinubu tells Supreme Court
I know as a fact that neither Gwendolyn Bedford nor any other person present at the deposition is a judicial officer,” emphasized the Nigerian leader, casting doubt on the testimony provided by Mr. Westberg in the presence of all the respondents’ attorneys on October 3.
Furthermore, President Tinubu sought to discredit the deposition by suggesting that it was not conducted in a neutral environment. He pointed out that Dechert LLP, the legal firm representing Atiku Abubakar, had chosen their West Wacker office as the venue.
Chicago State University Deposition
The president brought to the attention of the Supreme Court that “DECHERT LLP, referenced as the venue of the deposition, is the law office where Angela Liu, Esq., counsel to the 1st appellant herein, serves as a partner.
This revelation raises questions about whether President Tinubu’s legal team, led by Charles Carmichael and Oluwole Afolabi, had previously objected to the venue or if they had consented to the location chosen by Atiku Abubakar.
Nevertheless, President Tinubu appears poised to use the choice of the West Wacker location as a potential legal loophole to prevent the Supreme Court from considering the deposition as evidence of forgery.
As the legal showdown for Nigeria’s presidency intensifies, President Tinubu has not held back in presenting serious allegations of identity fraud and forgery against his primary opponent in the February elections.
One of the key issues raised by President Tinubu is Atiku Abubakar’s use of different names on his primary school certificate (“Atiku Kojoli”) and his 1965 West African Senior School Certificate (“Siddiq Abubakar”). These allegations continue to be central to the unfolding legal drama in Nigeria’s highest court.
With the Supreme Court serving as the battleground for this intense legal clash, the nation awaits its judgment and the ultimate decision on the fate of the presidency. The implications are significant, as both sides continue to make their case in pursuit of the highest office in the land.
Recall during the Chicago State University Deposition, CSU affirmed they are not the one that issued the certificate Tinubu submitted to INEC.
