Battle Over President Tinubu’s Chicago Academic Records Intensifies.
In an unprecedented legal showdown, Nigerians are bracing themselves for a fierce legal battle over the academic records of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Chicago State University (CSU). This legal skirmish has attracted the attention of prominent figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and political parties like the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Labour Party (LP).
The legal saga began with a directive from US District Judge Nancy Maldonado to stay an order requiring CSU to provide Tinubu’s academic documents to Atiku’s legal team. The initial order was issued by Magistrate Jeffrey Gilbert, who mandated CSU to share all pertinent and non-privileged documents with Atiku’s representatives within two days. However, Tinubu’s legal team swiftly moved to challenge Gilbert’s decision, leading to Maldonado’s intervention.
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Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, stressed the importance of transparency in this matter, questioning why President Tinubu would withhold his academic records from public scrutiny. He emphasized that Nigerians should take a keen interest in the situation, asserting that the President’s actions cast a shadow over the principles of due process, transparency, and accountability.
The NNPP has joined the chorus, urging President Tinubu to authorize the release of his academic records to quell rising tensions and suspicions. The NNPP’s new National Publicity Secretary, Yakubu Shemdam, expressed concern that the certificate controversy could become a distracting issue if left unresolved. Shemdam suggested that President Tinubu’s prompt cooperation would enable him to focus on his developmental plans for the nation.
The LP’s campaign team, representing presidential candidate Peter Obi, also weighed in on the matter. They called on President Tinubu to present his academic records as proof against his critics. The Chief Spokesman of Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, found the President’s excuse for withholding the records unacceptable and implied that it suggested hidden information.
Babatunde Ogala, the Coordinator of the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team, confirmed their readiness for the legal battle ahead and hinted that they would meet any challenges head-on. However, Ogala refrained from commenting on whether the President is concealing information from the public.
The intensifying legal battle over President Tinubu’s academic records has raised significant questions about transparency and accountability at the highest levels of Nigerian politics
