Academic Records: Atiku Floors Tinubu In US Court

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has ordered the Chicago State University (CSU) to release President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s academic record to former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, by Monday, October 2.

Recall that Atiku, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded presidential election, is challenging the declaration of Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25 poll.

Parts of Atiku’s petitions include the challenging the academic records of the APC presidential candidate. He argued that Tinubu did not graduate from Chicago State University as claimed in his academic records.

In a copy of the latest judgment by the US Court, Judge Nancy Maldonado, noted that CSU raised no objection to Judge Jeffery Gilbert’s decision that Tinubu’s academic record be made public.
The court explained that any intrusion on Tinubu’s privacy interests in his educational records is outweighed by Atiku’s interest in the sought-after discovery.
Maldonado overruled Tinubu’s objections to Gilbert’s recommended ruling and therefore adopted the ruling in full.

The memorandum opinion and order read in part, “Atiku’s application is therefore granted. In light of the pending Supreme Court of Nigeria deadline. represented to the Court as October 5, 2023, and based on CSU’s representations that it is ready to comply with the discovery requests and produce a witness, the Court sets an expedited schedule for completion of discovery. Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents.

“The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Given the October 5, 2023, filing deadline before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Court will not extend or modify these deadlines,” The PUNCH quoted the court document saying.

• Sodiq Lawal