Toba Owojaiye Reporting
A noteworthy development has arisen in the ongoing legal conflict between President Bola Tinubu and his adversary, Atiku Abubakar, subsequent to a recent ruling by a United States court.
On August 9, Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago issued a deadline of August 23 for President Tinubu to furnish compelling justifications against the disclosure of his academic records from Chicago State University to Atiku Abubakar.
The court’s verdict originates from Atiku Abubakar’s plea, which he submitted on July 11, seeking access to President Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University. Angela M. Liu, heading Atiku’s legal team, has requested specific details about Tinubu’s admission, attendance dates, degrees, accolades, and honors obtained during his tenure at the institution.
President Tinubu’s legal representative, Victor P. Henderson, has taken steps to prevent the university from unveiling his educational records. Henderson contended that Atiku’s subpoena lacked validity due to inadequate compliance time, asserting that the six-day window for compliance did not meet the 14-day requirement outlined in Rules 219 and 137 of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules.
Furthermore, Henderson characterized Atiku’s actions as an “improper fishing expedition concerning a foreign public official exploiting the subpoena authority of the Illinois court.”
The court’s ruling not only stipulates a deadline for President Tinubu’s rejoinder but also outlines a schedule for subsequent legal proceedings. Atiku Abubakar has been directed to counter Tinubu’s arguments by September 9, creating a two-week period for both parties to present their cases.
The court’s deliberate timeline corresponds with Nigeria’s impending judgment by the election petitions tribunal, projected to be rendered on September 21.
This legal disagreement unfolds within the context of a more extensive electoral dispute, where Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party contest the outcome of Nigeria’s presidential election held on February 25. As President Tinubu confronts multiple court hearings regarding his election and the authenticity of documents related to his attendance at Chicago State University, this dispute takes on augmented significance.
The court’s decision to impose a cutoff date and establish a structured timetable reflects the urgency with which it aims to resolve this matter prior to the election petitions tribunal’s pronouncement. The outcome of this legal clash could potentially influence the ongoing electoral challenge and mold the trajectory of Nigeria’s political landscape. As the legal proceedings persist, stakeholders on both sides await the resolution of this high-stakes contention.