Politics
Don’t release my academic records to Atiku – Tinubu tells Chicago State University
President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, intensified his legal efforts to block the Chicago State University from releasing his academic records to his rival presidential candidate during the last election, Atiku Abubakar.
After obtaining a reprieve from the District Court of Northern Illinois, Eastern Division, with the court temporarily suspending its 20 September order compelling the university to release the documents to Atiku, Tinubu has now filed a more detailed objection seeking to convince the court to reverse the order outright.
Tinubu’s application, filed by his New York-based lawyer, Oluwole Afolabi, is anchored on two broad reasons.
First is that his academic records in issue are not useful in Nigerian courts as claimed by Atiku because “the Nigerian election proceedings and the Nigerian courts have explicitly been unreceptive to the discovery.”
Tinubu’s second reason is that Atiku’s request “is unduly intrusive because it allows Applicant (Atiku) to conduct a fishing expedition into Intervenor’s private, confidential, and protected educational records.”
He urged the court to set aside the previous order, saying his political opponents had previously used his illegally obtained academic records to attack him.
“The unlawful release of documents previously allowed Intervenor’s opponents to sow confusion and spread conspiracy theories,” Tinubu’s objection read in part.
It added that Atiku’s application was not anything more than “opposition research on a political opponent”.
Atiku had set off the legal battle with an application filed on 2 August requesting the court to order the Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records to him.
The former Nigerian vice president requested the documents in the hope of using them at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja to challenge the authenticity of the certificate presented by Tinubu to Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, for the 2023 election.
He argued that among other things, a “second Chicago State University diploma has since emerged (dated June 27, 1979) that bears the name “Bola Ahmed Tinubu” but also presents with a different font, punctuation, seal, and signatures, than the June 22, 1979 diploma, among other alleged discrepancies.”
Atiku told the US court that he wanted to authenticate these documents whether a “Chicago State University diploma in the name of Bola Ahmed Tinubu dated June 22, 1979, that was submitted to the INEC before the Nigerian presidential election in February 2023 is genuine or was forged.”
On 19 September, a magistrate judge of the court, Jeffrey Gilbert, ordered the university to release the requested documents to Atiku within two days.
Tinubu’s legal team swiftly approached a district judge of the court to suspend the order to enable them to file a more elaborate challenge against it.
At an emergency hearing on 21 September, the district judge, Nancy Maldonado, agreed to delay the order compelling the Chicago State University to release the academic documents of President Tinubu.
Following the approval, Tinubu, through his legal team, filed his objection on Monday.
‘Atiku barred from using my CSU records’
In the objection filed on Monday, Tinubu’s legal team argued that the magistrate judge granted Atiku’s application even though the applicant was barred from attempting to use the discovery in the foreign proceeding.
“That conclusion should be rejected because the discovery cannot be ‘for use’ in the foreign proceeding due to the decision of the Nigerian Election Court, and that decision shows the Nigerian courts would not be receptive to the discovery sought by the application.
“The Magistrate gave no weight to the decision of the Nigerian Election Court, which is authoritative proof of the unreceptivity of the foreign court to the discovery sought,” the objection read in part.
It added that the possibility that the Nigerian Supreme Court, where Atiku proceeded to challenge the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Court, may accept the documents was a mere speculation and not “not an indication that foreign courts might consider the discovery.”
‘Atiku’s application is fishing expedition’
In the other plank of objection, Tinubu’s team argued that while Atiku’s case at the Nigerian court only touched on “a CSU diploma”, the magistrate judge “erroneously concluded” to issue an order for the release of “other educational documents.”
They said the court erroneously held that “a foray into other documents” was permissible because “Intervenor also submitted other educational documents in a related proceeding in Nigeria.”
The objection added: “The Magistrate erred in requiring compliance with two subpoenas that go far beyond the narrow issue of the diploma submitted to the INEC, and finding that the education records protections were overcome by Applicant’s investigatory interests.
“The Magistrate determined that the Applicant’s interest outweighed the privacy interest because the Intervenor put the diploma at issue by submitting it to the INEC.
The Magistrate also concluded the Applicant’s interests were stronger as to ‘other educational documents’ submitted in related proceedings. This second conclusion is clearly erroneous because the ‘other documents’ are not at issue in the electoral challenge, and discovery for “related proceedings” is merely another way of describing a fishing expedition.
‘I will suffer harm if CSU releases my documents to Atiku’
Tinubu argued that he stood to suffer harm in allowing discovery on issues and documents outside the diploma because his records “were illegally obtained previously and have been utilised to attack him”.
He added: “Obtaining more documents via a subpoena – particularly ones that are not part of the INEC submission by Intervenor – is both improper and nonsensical.
“The unlawful release of documents previously allowed Intervenor’s opponents to sow confusion and spread conspiracy theories. Applicant should not be permitted to conduct discovery on the discovery illegally obtained by Applicant’s allies and Intervenor’s political opponents. Discovery on discovery is rarely appropriate and is certainly not appropriate when the sole issue Applicant identified is the Intervenor’s submission of his diploma to INEC.
Credit: Premium Times
As Nigeria approaches its upcoming presidential election, the political atmosphere is becoming increasingly charged, particularly for incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This election presents a significant opportunity for meaningful dialogue and debate, as several prominent political figures are stepping forward to challenge Tinubu’s presidency, potentially enriching the democratic process.
Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, September 19, declared that President Bola Tinubu will again emerge victorious in the next presidential poll.
Legit.ng reports that in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Omokri, a prominent social media personality, described President Tinubu as “the master of the game” amid a visit to Kaduna state on Friday, September, 19.
Legit.ng reports that Tinubu attended the wedding ceremony between Nasirudeen Yari and Safiyya Shehu Idris during the visit. Nasirudeen is the son of the senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Yari.
President Tinubu also paid a courtesy visit to Aisha, the widow of the late former president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, at the family residence in Kaduna.
At Senator Yari’s son’s wedding, President Tinubu met one of his fiercest critics, Sule Lamido. Citing a trending video of both men exchanging pleasantries, Omokri noted that President Tinubu “interacted with his political enemies as though they were friends.” Omokri wrote: “In Kaduna, President Tinubu showed why he is the master of the game who will win again in 2027.
“During his ongoing Kaduna trip, President Tinubu again displayed the qualities that will ensure he wins the 2027 elections. He interacted with his political enemies as though they were friends. He smiled with those who piled insults on him. He played with others who sprayed unprintable words at him. Took selfies with people who called him selfish.
“The man is a master of the game. He kills his opponents with kindness and overwhelms his foes with prose that deepens their woes.”
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 election, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has revealed that he is open to returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC) if given clear terms.
Kwankwaso has made it clear that his demand must be met otherwise, there is no need to defect to the ruling party.
He said he and his supporters played a key role in the formation of the APC, facing pressure from security agencies and anti-graft bodies during the process.…click link for full details
Politics
‘Fight With Wike Not Over’ Primate Ayodele Sends Strong Warning To Fubara; Reveals Solution For His Second Term
The atmosphere in River State has significantly stabilized after President Bola Tinubu lifted the six-month state of emergency that had been in effect.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has revealed what the governor of Rivers state, Sim Fubara should do to have a second term in office.
This is coming after speculations going around suggest the governor may not be allowed to go for a second term in office due to the crisis he had with his predecessor.…click link for full details here
Some also claim part of the agreement for him to return to power was to forget about a second term in office.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele revealed that Fubara can still have a second term in office if he seeks the face of God and stays loyal to Wike.
He also noted that part of his loyalty to Wike would include technically ceding the position of the deputy governor to the assembly speaker, as his chosen deputy would be a figurehead.
“Fubara can still get a second term if he seeks the face of God and is obedient to his principal, Nyesom Wike. He should also note that his acting deputy governor would be the speaker of the state, his chosen deputy would be more of a figurehead.”
He also noted that the state won’t be totally peaceful and that some of Fubara’s allies will cause a crisis because they will be angry with him. He mentioned that the fight between Wike and Fubara isn’t over, as the latter would be used to check the FCT minister.
“Rivers state won’t be fully peaceful because of the indecision of Fubara; he won’t be taken seriously anymore, and some of his allies will be angry with him. Fubara and Wike will still fight; it’s not yet over, and the governor will be used to check Wike politically.”
Furthermore, he commended the president for saving the state from calamity.
“Tinubu saved River State from calamity and bloodbath because without it, the state would have been forgotten. Several things would have happened in the state, but the state of emergency cautioned everyone.”
Politics
BREAKING: Fubara’s Resumption Date Emerges As Rivers Assembly Sends Fresh Message To Governor
In light of recent political tensions in Rivers State, which have generated significant concern among residents, the lifting of a six-month emergency rule in the region has not resulted in the resumption of activities by the suspended governor.
Complicating matters further is the unexplained absence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, prompting speculation regarding his whereabouts. However, contrary to public perception, the date for the governor’s return has now been disclosed. Click to continue reading.
The recent political developments have generated considerable anticipation among the public, particularly in Port Harcourt, where thousands of dedicated supporters congregated outside the Government House by 6 a.m. on Thursday. These individuals gathered in hopes of witnessing the governor’s return, celebrating his reinstatement following the conclusion of the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu. However, as the hours progressed without any sign of the governor, the crowd’s initial enthusiasm began to diminish.
By midday, the energy of the assembly had notably waned. Despite the governor’s reinstatement, which was officially declared by the President the previous Wednesday, he had not yet made an appearance. Gradually, many supporters departed, their morale dampened by this continued absence.
Among the steadfast supporters were several sacked local government chairpersons, including Chijoke Ihunwo from Obio/Akpor and Ezebunwo Itche-Mati from Port Harcourt City. Notably absent were allies of former Governor Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, along with the newly elected local government chairpersons perceived to be aligned with him.
The governor’s absence follows a significant announcement by President Tinubu, which lifted the emergency rule in Rivers State that had led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Nma Odu, and the members of the House of Assembly. During this turbulent period, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) had been appointed as the sole administrator.
A confidential source within the governor’s camp has indicated that he is expected to resume duties on Monday and is making arrangements to address the state and communicate his vision for improved governance to his supporters.
Simultaneously, the legislative arm of the state resumed its operations on Thursday at the conference hall of the legislative quarters, with Speaker Martins Amaewhule presiding over the proceedings. The lawmakers wasted no time in initiating an inquiry into the state’s financial management during Ibas’s administration and urged Governor Fubara to submit a list of nominees for commissioner positions for legislative scrutiny. The political climate in Rivers State remains tense, with uncertainty continuing to pervade the atmosphere.
As Nigeria gears up for the pivotal 2027 elections, the political atmosphere is charged with speculation and intrigue surrounding the possible return of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
His previous tenure, marked by both challenges and achievements, has left an indelible mark on the nation’s history.
With the political landscape continually evolving, discussions abound regarding his potential influence and the role he might play in shaping the future of Nigerian governance.
In the heart of Abuja, discussions have begun to circulate that Jonathan could once again influence the upcoming race for power.
Since his removal from office in 2015, Jonathan has transformed into a ubiquitous figure in Nigerian politics, haunting every electoral cycle like a specter.
His image frequently resurfaces on billboards across the nation, while his name remains prominently featured on campaign buses, suggesting that political operatives still value his brand.
Despite his attempts to lead a life that appears detached from the partisan fray—engaging in various philanthropic efforts and public speaking—it is clear that he remains an influential presence.
Observers are now questioning whether his historical significance and experience could pose a challenge to the current president, Bola Tinubu, and his administration.
As political dynamics shift and candidates begin to position themselves for the upcoming elections, Jonathan’s influence may prove to be more profound than many anticipate, prompting debates about the potential impact of his candidacy on Nigeria’s democratic processes.
President Bola Tinubu has announced his intention to visit Aisha Buhari, the widow of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, in Kaduna State.
We recall that former President Buhari passed away on Sunday, July 13, in the United Kingdom.
The presidency communicated this plan in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesperson, on Thursday, September 18. …click link to continue reading
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‘Fight With Wike Not Over’ Primate Ayodele Sends Strong Warning To Fubara; Reveals Solution For His Second Term
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