It’s Too Late For Atiku To Use Chicago University Records Against Me’, Tinubu

In a compelling legal saga that has captured attention, President Bola Tinubu has responded to attempts by Atiku Abubakar to access his academic records from Chicago State University (CSU) for use in the elections petitions tribunal. President Tinubu’s legal team has dismissed this effort as a “wild goose chase,” arguing that the Nigerian court is no longer accepting evidence in the case.

The context of this legal battle lies in the Nigerian presidential election that took place on February 25. Mr. Abubakar finished as the runner-up, while President Tinubu emerged as the winner with 8.7 million votes. However, allegations of discrepancies in President Tinubu’s academic credentials prompted Mr. Abubakar to seek evidence from CSU to substantiate his claims of electoral fraud, narcotics dealing, and election irregularities.

President Tinubu’s defense counters Mr. Abubakar’s efforts, asserting that it’s unnecessary to release the academic records at this stage since the deadlines for admitting evidence in the elections tribunal have already passed. His legal team argues that the Nigerian election court’s proceedings have reached an advanced stage, with judgment anticipated soon. As a result, any additional evidence submitted by Mr. Abubakar would be in contradiction with the court’s order.

The core question surrounding the dispute revolves around whether President Tinubu received a diploma and graduated from CSU. The university’s registrar, Caleb Westberg, confirmed the accuracy of President Tinubu’s records but acknowledged the possibility of “human error” leading to discrepancies. However, the wording of the registrar’s statement has raised suspicions, suggesting potential attempts to mitigate any legal repercussions.

President Tinubu’s lawyers assert that the other pieces of information sought by Mr. Abubakar are irrelevant, and they emphasize the likelihood of an innocent mistake in the records. The president’s legal team maintains that the nature of the ongoing tribunal proceedings prevents the material requested by Mr. Abubakar from being admitted.

This legal battle highlights the intricacies of evidence submission in a complex legal context. It also underscores the ongoing tension between political rivals in a high-stakes election. As the Nigerian legal system navigates these intricacies, the outcome of this dispute will not only have implications for the individuals involved but also for the broader discourse around the integrity of electoral processes and the reliability of evidence in legal proceedings.