A United States Court has ordered the Chicago State University (CSU) to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar by Tuesday.
The presiding judge, Nancy Maldonado, dismissed Tinubu’s objection, issuing a two-day ultimatum to CSU to release the documents to Atiku.
Maldonado also upheld the ruling of the Unites States Magistrate Judge, Jeffery Gilbert, who ordered the CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records as requested by Atiku.
She stressed that Atiku, who contested under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had the right to have access to the records.
“For the reasons stated in the Court’s accompanying Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Court overrules President Tinubu’s objections (44) and adopts Judge Gilbert’s recommended decision (40) in full.
“The Court therefore grants Mr. Abubakar’s application under 28 U.S.C. § 1782. [1],” Justice Maldonado of the Northern District of Illinois ruled.
According to the judge, CSU must complete all necessary filings regarding the release by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
The court ruled, “Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in response to Requests for Production Nos. 1 through 4 (as narrowed by Judge Gilbert and adopted by the District Court in its opinion) in Mr. Abubakar’s subpoena, by 12:00 p.m. (noon) CDT, on Monday, October 2, 2023.
“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.”
Atiku had approached the US District Court in Northern Illinois to compel the university to release Tinubu’s academic records, arguing that it would boost his suit challenging the President’s election in the February 25 presidential poll.
The PDP candidate had requested the documents for use in Nigerian courts to support his argument that Tinubu forged a certificate he claimed to have obtained from CSU in 1979 and submitted to Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the 2023 presidential election.