Tinubu white as snow, will survive certificate forgery allegation – Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Sunday declared that President Bola Tinubu would survive the latest attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar to boot him out of office.

The former Vice President during a press conference held last Thursday in Abuja alleged that the president forged the certificates he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the February 25 election.

This followed the release of the president’s academic records by the Chicago State University in the United States.

He insisted that Tinubu’s academic records were fraught with discrepancies and forgery.

Atiku formally applied to file fresh evidence against the president at the Supreme Court on Friday night.

In a lengthy statement posted on his verified X platform (previously known as Twitter), the minister argued that President Tinubu would survive the Atiku’s hurdle because “he is as clean and white as snow.”

Keyamo insisted that nobody can allege or prove a case of forgery except the maker of the document denies its authenticity.

He wrote: “When some comments or perceptions of otherwise plain and simple issues are so moronic, mischievous, or downright odious, they really do not deserve a response because you’d be dignifying idiocy. But let me drop this here for posterity.

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“I have been a defence and prosecution lawyer at the highest level in criminal trials for more than 30 years. YOU CANNOT ALLEGE OR PROVE FORGERY EXCEPT THE PURPORTED MAKER OF THE DOCUMENT DENIES ITS AUTHENTICITY OR THERE IS UNCONTRADICTED EVIDENCE OF A FORENSIC REPORT THAT CATEGORICALLY SAYS THE DOCUMENT WAS DELIBERATELY ALTERED OR CONCOCTED BY THE PERSON WHO UTTERED (in a legal sense) OR ISSUED IT.

“Applying this principle to the case of Atiku Abubakar V Chicago State University, so long as the University openly said THEY DO NOT ISSUE REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATES, BUT THAT VENDORS DO SO ON THEIR BEHALF, all this noise about so-called forgery are useless until THE PARTICULAR VENDOR THAT ISSUED the replacement certificate to @officialABAT denies its authenticity. And it is the duty of the accuser to fish out the said vendor and get that evidence. It is not the other way around. He who alleges must prove.

“This is the simple principle I laid down in 2019 during our defence of President Buhari that has been so mischievously celebrated as if they have hit the bull’s eye. Unfortunately for them, @officialABAT (Tinubu) is as clean and white as snow on this issue and we are again waiting for them at the Supreme Court.

“As for ATIKU Abubakar (the famed SPV king and the one who disgraced Nigeria internationally with the money-laundering case involving Congressman William Jefferson), we acknowledge the valedictory speech he delivered a few days ago signifying his retirement from politics and we wish him godspeed in that retirement.”

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