Toba Owojaiye Reporting
In a new development in the ongoing legal battle over the disputed Nigerian presidential election, President Bola Tinubu has called upon the Supreme Court to disregard the evidence presented by his rival, Atiku Abubakar. This request is founded on the argument that the deposition of Caleb Westberg, the registrar of Chicago State University (CSU), was conducted by U.S. attorneys rather than officially certified judicial officers.
President Tinubu, responding to Mr. Abubakar’s attempts to overturn his election victory, submitted a counter affidavit on October 12, expressing skepticism about the legitimacy of the deposition. He boldly asserted, “I am certain that neither Gwendolyn Bedford nor any other individual present during the deposition holds the status of a judicial officer.” This insinuation raises doubts about the reliability of Mr. Westberg’s testimony.
The deposition’s credibility was further marred by claims that it was conducted in a biased setting. Dechert LLP, the legal firm representing Mr. Abubakar, selected their West Wacker office as the location for the deposition. Tinubu pointed out this potential bias in his affidavit, highlighting that “DECHERT LLP referenced as the deposition venue is the law office where Angela Liu, Esq., counsel to the 1st appellant herein, serves as a partner.”
Whether President Tinubu’s legal team, including Charles Carmichael and Oluwole Afolabi, had raised objections to the venue prior to the October 3 deposition or had consented to Mr. Abubakar’s preferred location is currently unclear. Nevertheless, President Tinubu seems ready to utilize the venue choice as a legal argument to prevent the Supreme Court from accepting the deposition as evidence in support of forgery allegations.
As the battle for Nigeria’s presidency intensifies, President Tinubu has introduced his own allegations, accusing his primary opponent from the February elections, Atiku Abubakar, of identity fraud and forgery. Tinubu has challenged Mr. Abubakar to clarify the difference between his name on his primary school certificate, “Atiku Kojoli,” and his 1965 West African Senior School Certificate (WASSCE), where he is listed as “Siddiq Abubakar.” The nation eagerly awaits the outcome of these intricate legal maneuvers as they shape the course of this high-stakes case.