Atiku Files Fresh Case in US Court Seeking Release of Tinubu’s Academic Records After Withdrawing Suit from Lower Court

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 election, Atiku Abubakar, has filed a separate case at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States, against President Bola Tinubu after he withdraw an existing one before a circuit court in Illinois. Following the withdrawal, the court consequently dismissed the suit. Special Assistant on Public Communications to Atiku, Phrank Shaibu, stated this yesterday in reaction to enquiries about the dismissed suit by the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Shaibu said, “Waziri Atiku Abubakar only withdrew the case before a Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County, United States of America, because he is pursuing the same matter in a higher court and he wanted to avoid an abuse of court processes. So, this is just the beginning.”

He said it was funny that Tinubu and his supporters were rejoicing over the development as if it were a Supreme Court judgement. He added that Tinubu’s academic records from primary school till university remained questionable, hence, the president’s failure to identify a single former classmate.

Shaibu stated, “In the last one week, Nigerians have been watching the ongoing ministerial screening at the senate, where nominees have been made to reveal their primary, secondary and university history. Some of the ministerial nominees were even classmates with the senators screening them.

“However, the man who nominated them has no educational history. He has no primary school, secondary school or university classmates. This is because he has no classmates. He actually fell from the sky.

“In recent years past, presidents have invited their former classmates to Aso Rock Villa. Even President Muhammadu Buhari hosted his classmates from Katsina Middle School. But who did Bola Tinubu invite to the Presidential Villa? Governors from 1999 set. This is a man whose entire life, background and credentials remain unknown and Atiku will ensure that the man is exposed.

“It is expected that the person to hold the Office of the President must be above board, especially, on his life history. Unfortunately, here we have a president whose history is shrouded in secrecy and for whom it is a tough life that started in 1993.”

Shaibu maintained, “Even the year 1993, which presents the opening chapter of the recorded history of our president, is renowned for a documented indictment on narcotics trading. Now, this is 2023, Atiku is asking to open the shady history of our president and the same man is standing in the way of the truth about his past.

“That very obstruction to the innocent effort to unravel the president’s past means that the man has something to hide. It is shameful that the president’s supporters are joyful that their man is covering up his own past.

“But, like the saying goes, falsehood may run for a lifetime, the truth shall overrun it in an instant. The moment of truth is here and President Tinubu has no hiding place.”

Meanwhile, the county court in Illinois had dismissed the suit filed by Atiku, seeking release of the academic records of Tinubu at the Chicago State University.

THISDAY learnt that the dismissal was sequel to a formal withdrawal of the suit by Atiku.

According to a report by the Gatekeepers News reports, Judge Patrick J. Heneghan had on July 31, “dismissed the case without prejudice.”

The news medium had reported the judge as ruling that the “petitioner’s subpoena in this case is withdrawn and thus Chicago State University will not be deposed pursuant to the subpoena in this case”, adding that the court further resolved all matters pending before it.

Part of the documents Tinubu submitted in aid of his qualification for the 2023 presidential election is a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Administration, with a major in Accounting, obtained from the Chicago State University.

The said documents, like Tinubu’s primary and secondary school education, have continued to generate controversies since he indicated interest in contesting for the number one seat in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Gatekeepers News in the report of yesterday, August 6, quoted a top-rated business litigation attorney in Chicago, Mr Victor Henderson, as stating that Tinubu was well known by citizens in the State of Illinois “for decades as a ‘distinguished graduate of Chicago State University and a well-respected international figure in the US.”

Henderson, in addition, was said to have observed that “despite Beverly Poindexter, who is in charge of official transcript requests, enrolment and degree verification at the Office of the Registrar, CSU, affirming Tinubu’s comment, some persons still had some doubts”.

Atiku, who was the sole petitioner, had recently dragged the Chicago State University (respondent) before the court praying for an order compelling the respondent to release the academic records of Tinubu in its possession.

The move, it was believed, would help his petition pending at the presidential tribunal.