President Bola Tinubu’s legal team has firmly stated that any documents obtained by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, from the United States court will hold no significance in his appeal at the Supreme Court.
The revelation came from one of President Bola Tinubu’s attorneys, Oluwole Afolabi, who delivered this crucial message via a WhatsApp voice note, explaining the consequences of Judge Nancy Maldonado’s ruling.
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Previously, Ejes Gist Newspaper reported that Judge Maldonado had ordered Chicago State University to release the president’s academic credentials by Monday. She warned the defendant not to entertain the thought of another appeal, as it would be summarily dismissed.
Atiku Abubakar’s aim was to present Mr. Tinubu’s academic records at the Supreme Court in an effort to prove that the president’s certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission was fraudulent, and that he was unqualified to run for the presidency.
However, Mr. Afolabi emphasized, “The Electoral Act does not permit the introduction of new evidence on appeal. Parties must provide a list of the documents they intend to rely on at the time their petition is filed.”
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He added, “A party cannot spring surprises on his adversary by introducing evidence that was not filed along with the petition.”
Babatunde Ogala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Mr. Tinubu’s personal lawyer, concurred with this stance, stating, “The headless mob is fixating on something that holds no value. The documents can no longer be used. We have moved beyond that stage.”
Ogala went on to address the key questions at the heart of this legal battle, saying, “One question is whether President Tinubu attended Chicago State University. The answer is yes. Second, what were his grades in school? The school had already provided that.”
In light of this development, Atiku Abubakar’s legal strategy faces a significant setback as his attempt to introduce new evidence into the case has been unequivocally rejected by Tinubu’s legal team. The Supreme Court’s decision on this matter is eagerly anticipated as it continues to be a focal point in the ongoing political dispute.
