In a significant development surrounding the ongoing controversy over the academic qualifications of Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, a US Federal Judge, Justice Nancy Maldonado, has ordered Chicago State University (CSU) to release all of Tinubu’s academic records. Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, welcomed this decision as a triumph for transparency and the pursuit of truth in Nigerian politics.
Atiku Abubakar’s Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, issued a statement expressing Atiku’s satisfaction with the US court’s ruling. The statement asserted that this long-standing controversy regarding Tinubu’s alleged certificate irregularities, which have remained concealed for over two decades, would finally see the light of day.
The legal battle began when Atiku Abubakar sought access to Bola Tinubu’s academic records, which the latter had fought to keep confidential. Despite an earlier district court granting Atiku relief in this matter, Tinubu’s legal team had contested the release of these documents, citing potential far-reaching consequences.
However, the US court, in a ruling on Sunday, determined that revealing the authenticity of the president’s academic credentials was in the interest of Nigerians and the nation as a whole. The court’s order mandated that Chicago State University comply within 48 hours.
Atiku Abubakar lauded this decision as a testament to the independence of the United States’ judiciary system. He emphasized that Bola Tinubu had evaded accountability since 1999 when the late human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, first exposed the alleged certificate discrepancies.
Atiku also raised concerns about the Nigerian judiciary, suggesting that it had failed to deliver justice in this matter for over two decades, often relying on technicalities rather than addressing the merits of the case. He noted, “Justice Maldonado, who has spent less than one year on the bench and who sat on this case for barely a month, has been able to do what the Nigerian judiciary could not do for 23 years.”
Responding to criticisms from Tinubu’s lawyer, Babatunde Ogala, Atiku Abubakar emphasized the significance of the court’s decision. He questioned why Tinubu had resisted the release of his academic records and appealed the initial judgment if he had nothing to hide. Atiku also criticized Ogala’s stance, stating that it prioritized technicality over justice.
In conclusion, Atiku Abubakar cited a quote from US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, suggesting that transparency could purify actions, and expressed the hope that the revelation of Tinubu’s academic records would bring clarity and accountability to the ongoing debate.
