What You Need To Know About Tinubu’s Academic Records Chicago State University Released To Atiku

What You Need To Know About Tinubu’s Academic Records Chicago State University Released To Atiku

Chicago State University (CSU) has at last complied with a United States court order to release President Bola Tinubu’s academic records to his political rival, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of Nigeria’s opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 25 February election, had sought these documents to substantiate his claim that Tinubu’s CSU certificate was forged. If proven, this could potentially render Tinubu ineligible for the election he won.

On Monday, the university furnished Atiku’s legal team with a collection of documents pertaining to Tinubu’s education at CSU, along with redacted copies of certificates issued to others around the time Tinubu graduated in 1979.

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These materials included Tinubu’s admission records and a letter dated 27 June 2022, confirming his enrollment from August 1977 to June 1979, with a major in accounting. The letter also attested that Tinubu received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Honors on 22 June 1979.

The District Court in Northern Illinois, presided over by Judge Nancy Maldonado, had ordered CSU to deliver these documents to Atiku by noon on Monday, a ruling that followed the dismissal of Tinubu’s objection to a prior decision by Magistrate Judge Jeffery Gilbert.

The university, in compliance with the court’s directive, provided four sets of documents, which gained traction online. Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shuaibu, confirmed their authenticity.

As part of their compliance report, the university acknowledged that they were able to fulfill three out of Atiku’s four requests. Specifically, they successfully located and provided seven distinct Bachelor of Science degree certificates issued in 1979.

However, the university stated that they were unable to locate a copy of Tinubu’s original 1979 diploma, a crucial component of Atiku’s request and a focal point in his legal challenge against Tinubu’s victory.

Atiku’s pursuit of these documents is aimed at reinforcing his argument that Tinubu fabricated a CSU diploma in 1979, which he allegedly presented to Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, for the 2023 presidential election.

Despite Atiku’s prior loss in the Presidential Election Petition Court, he aims to reassert this claim supported by CSU’s documents in his appeal at the Nigerian Supreme Court, with a deadline set for 5 October.

Tinubu opposed the release of the documents on the grounds that Nigerian courts and election proceedings had already rejected Atiku’s request, and further argued that it was an undue intrusion into his private educational records. Judge Maldonado, in her ruling, clarified that her decision was solely affirming Atiku’s right to access CSU documents and did not imply a stance on the veracity of Atiku’s claims or the validity of Nigeria’s presidential election.

Compliance

Following the court’s directive on Monday, the university released four sets of documents, which quickly gained widespread attention online. Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shuaibu, verified that these documents were indeed received from the university, as reported by PREMIUM TIMES.

In a sworn statement outlining their compliance with the court order, the university confirmed that they were able to fulfill three out of Atiku’s four requests. Regarding one of the requests they fulfilled, the university stated that, after a thorough search, they successfully located and provided seven distinct certificates for Bachelor of Science degrees issued in 1979.

Atiku’s purpose in seeking these documents was apparently to scrutinize them in comparison to the one presented by Mr. Tinubu for the 2023 presidential election.

Furthermore, the university supplied Atiku’s team with documents pertaining to Mr. Tinubu, which were authenticated by CSU’s official, Jamar C. Orr, a lawyer.

The university also managed to retrieve, after a diligent search, copies of three other diploma certificates issued to students other than Mr. Tinubu in 1979. This action was taken in response to Atiku’s request for authentic copies of any diplomas issued by CSU (excluding Mr. Tinubu) that share similar font, seal, signatures, and verbiage (apart from the recipient’s name and specific degree awarded). Atiku sought these documents for the purpose of comparison with the one claimed by Mr. Tinubu to have been acquired around 22 June 1979.

However, the university expressed their inability to locate “a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Mr. Tinubu in 1979” as per Atiku’s request. This crucial aspect of Atiku’s plea lies at the core of the matter he intends to address in his legal challenge against Mr. Tinubu’s victory in the presidential election held on 25 February.

The university clarified that they do not typically retain copies of student diplomas, and despite extensive efforts, they could not locate a copy of the original diploma prepared for Mr. Tinubu in 1979. Consequently, they possess no documents responsive to this particular request.

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