Chicago State University: Tinubu has something to hide, says Atiku

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has reiterated his conviction that President Bola Tinubu has a case to answer with regards to the controversy surrounding his educational credentials.

Atiku, who spoke through his lawyer, Liu Angela,  in a statement, in Abuja yesterday, noted that his legal representative was puzzled that Tinubu had continued to mount a “vigorous opposition” to a request asking the Chicago State University to make open disclosure about the matter.

Angela  explained that she sent an email to Tinubu’s lawyers asking for their cooperation in asking the Chicago State University about documents  already in the public domain, which had been submitted in proceeding in the Nigerian court.

The email, which was sent on August 3, 2023 is requesting, “to learn CSU’s position on whether, how, and when they were provided to other Nigerian litigants, and CSU’s position on the authenticity of the documents.”

Angela stated:  “ Mr. Tinubu should have been keen to clear up any inconsistencies in his academic achievements and set the records straight by allowing the expedition of the legal process.

“If there is an explanation for the discrepancies we have identified, we would think that Mr Tinubu would be eager to provide it. If you would like to provide an explanation to us, we are happy to consider it. That might preclude the need for, or at least expedite the deposition.”

“Atiku has thus, through his lawyer, expressed a willingness to cooperate with Mr Tinubu’s legal team to shut down controversies surrounding the president’s credentials.

“But rather than extend the same cooperation to Atiku’s lawyer, the team representing Tinubu has vehemently opposed all initiatives aimed to setting the records straight about Tinubu education claims at the Chicago State University.

“Ms. Angela thus stressed that Mr Tinubu’s adamant refusal to grant them access to his school records has only fuelled suspicions and suggested that he has something to conceal.”

“In candour, the vehemence of Mr Tinubu’s opposition to this discovery is increasing rather than mitigating our suspicions.”

The lawyer representing Atiku further expressed disappointment about how Tinubu is frustrating and stalling the entire judicial process.

She stressed that Tinubu had been advised to join the case earlier since the applicant would not oppose the request, but that he chose to remain silent and waited until Atiku’s team had submitted an ‘Order Directing Discovery’ of his academic records in court before expressing an interest in joining the suit.

“Then, ‘Mr Tinubu turned around a week later and headed straight to the States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to apply to join as previously advised without consulting with Mr Abubakar, perceived as a devious delay gimmick.

“At the outset, Applicant emphasizes that he does not oppose the Motion, but questions why Mr Tinubu filed it, instead of contacting and coordinating with Applicant’s counsel to submit a joint submission,” Ms Angela wrote in her response to Mr Tinubu’s motion to join on August 4.

“Thus, on July 27, 2023, almost a week prior to filing the application, counsel for applicant advised counsel for Mr Tinubu and CSU that applicant intended to file the application and that he was “willing to stipulate to Mr. Tinubu’s intervention in the Section 1782 federal action,” Mr Abubakar’s lawyer told the court.

“The discretion by the Tinubu’s team is further fueling optimism in the  Atiku’s team that the academic records would support his case against Mr Tinubu at the presidential elections petitions tribunal to prove that President Tinubu may have falsified his credentials and should be disqualified.”