2023 Presidential Election: U.S. Court Orders CSU to Release Tinubu’s Academic Records

In a fresh twist, Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the U.S District Court, Northern District of Illinois, has ordered the Chicago State University to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu.

Gilbert, a US magistrate judge, gave the ruling on Tuesday, ordering CSU to produce “all relevant and non-privileged documents” to Atiku Abubakar, the plaintiff, within two days.

Though the case is seen by many supporters of the former Vice President as a solemn victory for their principal, it appears Atiku may not get any new information that may upturn the verdict of the 2023 presidential election in his favour.

Tinubu’s lawyers have argued that their client is not willing to lift his privacy privilege, with the ruling also conceding this by using the term ‘non-privileged documents”.

The University in its deposition before the court consistently confirmed that Tinubu attended the university and graduated in 1979.

“Atiku will not receive a copy of any certificate from the US. He is only left with a copy of Tinubu’s academic records, including the admission letter and exam sheets”, said a source on Wednesday.

“There is no new information coming forth. Jamar Orr will orally state that he certified those documents and handed them over to Tinubu’s lawyer. 

“This settlement holds no relevance to the case in Nigeria, making it a total waste of effort,” he wrote, attaching the full judgment. [Read here The Judgment: Full Judgment of Chicago court on Atiku v Bola Tinubu
The information Atiku requested is to be used in his petition against Bola Tinubu’s election.

On Tuesday, Atiku approached the Supreme Court, seeking to set aside the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), which affirmed Tinubu’s election.

Atiku in the Notice of Appeal predicated on 35 grounds, insisted that the tribunal in the judgment delivered by Justice Haruna Tsammani committed grave error and miscarriage of justice in its findings and conclusion in the petition challenging the declaration of Tinubu as President by INEC.

The Notice of Appeal filed by Atiku’s lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN is praying the apex court to set aside the whole findings and conclusions of the tribunal on the grounds that they did not represent the true picture of the grounds of his petition.

The former Vice President maintained that the tribunal erred in law when it failed to nullify the presidential election held on Feb. 25.

He wants the election nullified on grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022. His lawyers argued that the evidence before the tribunal has shown that INEC conducted the election based on grave and gross misrepresentation contrary to the principles of the Electoral Act 2022.

Atiku alleged that the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) erred in law by not taking into cognisance the Doctrine of Legitimate Expectation when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to conduct the election in accordance with its own guidelines and the Electoral Act 2022.