REVIEW…. As CSU obliges Atiku: Is Tinubu’s certificate saga finally laid to rest?

On Monday, in far way United States of America, the Chicago State University (CSU) finally released the academic records of President Bola Tinubu to his political opponent, Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

The release of the documents came after an order by Nancy Maldonado of the US district court for the Northern District of Illinois, mandating CSU to release the academic records of President Tinubu.

Before the order, another US court had ordered CSU to release the document but Tinubu’s legal team appealed the judgment on the basis of the need to protect his right to privacy.

The release of the documents, three out of four Atiku had sought for, came after years of speculations and questions on the true academic records and standing of Nigeria’s President, as controversies had trailed the school he attended and if he was actually the one admitted to the CSU or a female by the same name, Bola Tinubu.

Ripples Nigeria recalls the celebrated case of Chicago University and Chicago State University controversy that saw late legal icon, Gani Fawehinmi, approaching the courts during Tinubu’s first tenure as Lagos State governor between 1999 and 2003.

While the controversy lasted, many claimed President Tinubu was an impostor who forged the certificate he had paraded all his life. This notion, was one the grounds by his opponents, namely Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, pleaded before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) to nullify his election because, to them, he was not qualified to stand election in the first place.

Despite the verdict of the PEPC, Atiku, undaunted, approached the US court to order the CSU to release the academic records of the President, with the hope of using same in his appeal at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

READ ALSO:Tinubu’s legal team gives reason for opposition to US Court’s verdict over release of academic records

Atiku had hope to use the requested documents to back his allegation of forgery of CSU certificate against Tinubu, as it was one of those dismissed by the PEPC.

However, CSU, on Monday, presented to Atiku’s legal team, documents connected to Mr Tinubu’s education at the institution and copies of certificates with redacted names issued to other persons about the same time the Nigerian president finished from the school in 1979.

The documents also contained President Tinubu’s admission records, and a letter dated 27 June 2022 confirming that he attended the university from August 1977 to June 1979 majoring in accounting, adding he was awarded Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Honours on 22 June 1979.

Among the documents released to Atiku’s legal team were “true and correct copies of any diplomas issued by CSU (other than to Mr Tinubu) that contain the same font, seal, signatures, and wording (other than the name of the recipient and the specific degree awarded).”

The university, however, said it was unable to locate “a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Mr Tinubu in 1979” as requested, saying it “does not in the ordinary course keep copies of student diplomas, and after diligent search cannot locate a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Mr Tinubu in 1979, hence has no documents responsive to this request.”

One thing that has, however, come to the open after many years of doubt and controversy, is that President Tinubu actually attended CSU, graduated and was issued the degree he has been parading, if the released documents are to be relied on.

How the critical mass of Nigerians, especially those opposed to Tinubu will react or take the released documents, is no doubt another round of intrigues expected in the coming days.

At the moment, President Tinubu’s legitimacy crisis may be nearing its resolution point, and it is looking likely to be in his favour.

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