The Chicago State University (CSU) has responded to the request of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu.
OsunDailyNG reports that the former Vice President approached a US court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago for an order compelling the institution to release the academic records of Tinubu.
The United States counsel to the PDP candidate, Angela M. Liu, told the court that she made efforts, including a subpoena, to get the university to confirm or deny the issuance of two diploma certificates with different dates to no avail.
Atiku, through his counsel, prayed that the court should subpoena Tinubu’s files domiciled with CSU, adding that the files would settle the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s academic background and aid the election petition tribunal.
In its response to Atiku’s application on Thursday, CSU promised to release Tinubu’s academic records only if a United States court grants the order.
The university added that it does not “understand” why Tinubu’s academic records “could possibly have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country”.
Below are the six highlights of CSU’s response to Atiku’s request for Tinubu’s academic records
1. Chicago State University confirmed that Tinubu graduated from the university in 1979.
2. Tinubu opposed Atiku’s application, seeking the release of his academic records by the university.
3. Atiku’s lawyers said the information about Tinubu’s academic records may be used in appellate proceedings.
4. The university is ready to conditionally release Tinubu’s records if the court grants Atiku’s application.
5. The scope and relevancy of Atiku’s requests are “clearly inappropriate” according to the University.
6. Chicago State University is ready to meet Atiku’s lawyers “to attempt to address all the university’s concerns”.
