US court grants Atiku’s request for release of Tinubu’s academic records

A Northern District of Illinois Court in the United States has ordered the Chicago State University to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu, following a request by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

The court, in a ruling on Wednesday, gave the university 48 hours to turn in the records in response to an application filed by Atiku.

The ruling which was delivered by Judge Jeffrey Gilbert, said the record should be made available to the applicant who is seeking the documents to ascertain if “Tinubu was properly admitted to the university, whether he fulfilled all the requirements to graduate, and if he forged papers to indicate he graduated from the university.”

“This matter is before the Court on Atiku Abubakar’s Application Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1782 for an Order Directing Discovery from Chicago State University for Use in a Foreign Proceeding (“Application”) [ECF No. 1]. For the reasons discussed below, the Application is granted,” Justice Gilbert said.

“For all of the reasons discussed above, Atiku Abubakar’s application pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1782 for an order directing discovery from Chicago State University for use in a foreign proceeding [ECF No. 1] is granted.

Read also: Chicago State University confirms Tinubu’s student records

“Respondent CSU shall produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in response to requests for production Nos. 1 through 4 (as narrowed by the court) in applicant subpoena within two days of the entry of this memorandum opinion and order.

“The deposition of respondent’s corporate designee shall proceed within two days of the production of documents. The parties can modify the dates set by the court by mutual agreement. Given the tight time frame under which the parties are operating, the deposition can, if necessary, occur on a non-weekday,” the court ruled.

Atiku had, on August 2, applied for the court to order CSU to produce the documents, urging that the school should authenticate any documents submitted by Tinubu for purpose of the February 25 election under oath.

Atiku had contended that the documents would be used in his ongoing challenge against Tinubu’s election as the president of Nigeria.

He had further contended that Tinubu should not have been allowed to run for president because he had submitted a forged document under oath in violation of the Nigerian Constitution.

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