Chicago Certificate: ‘Any Appeal Before Court Will Be Denied’ – US Court Issues Stern Warning To Tinubu

Chicago Certificate: ‘Any Appeal Before Court Will Be Denied’ – US Court Issues Stern Warning To Tinubu

 

 

In a recent ruling from the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago, President Bola Tinubu has been sternly warned against filing any further appeals to halt the release of his academic records from Chicago State University (CSU).

 

This development follows a prior order by Judge Nancy Maldonado, which directed CSU to disclose Tinubu’s academic records to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria.

 

The disclosure of President Tinubu’s academic records has become a pivotal point in Atiku’s legal challenge against Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.

 

Judge Maldonado, presiding over the case, issued her decisive ruling on September 30, making it clear that President Tinubu should not anticipate returning to her court to seek another temporary postponement of the disclosure.

 

In her ruling, Judge Maldonado emphasized, “The court cautions President Tinubu that any request for a stay before this court will be denied, as the court finds any stay impracticable in light of the fast-approaching Supreme Court of Nigeria deadlines.”

 

This stern warning effectively signals an end to any attempts by President Tinubu to delay the release of his academic records through legal means.

 

The judge further elaborated, stating that President Tinubu’s arguments and rhetoric regarding Mr. Abubakar’s potential success at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, or his disputes with the merits of Abubakar’s claims about the election, do not constitute evidence of the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s willingness to assist in discovery.

 

Judge Maldonado underscored the significance of the matter, remarking, “The discovery sought here relates not only to a prominent public figure, President Tinubu, but is sought as part of an underlying dispute over the Nigerian presidential election, a matter of extreme importance to the Nigerian people.”

 

She emphasized that the discovery of President Tinubu’s academic records was undeniably important, given the high-stakes nature of the issues involved, and that CSU held the sole access to this critical information.

 

As the legal battle between President Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar unfolds, the release of Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University remains a central point of contention.

 

 

With the US court’s firm warning against further appeals, the spotlight now shifts to the forthcoming proceedings in the Supreme Court of Nigeria, where the fate of these records may ultimately be determined.