… says ‘Nigeria’s reputation at stake’
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday advanced reasons why he has been insistent on obtaining the academic records of President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, Nigeria’s reputation is at stake with the controversy surrounding the Chicago State University’s certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission by Tinubu.
This is just as the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections also urged other stakeholders to uphold the tenets of democracy by establishing the truth about the certificate submitted to INEC by Tinubu.
Atiku, who briefed journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said, “The reputation of our country is at stake and that affects Nigerians everywhere and wherever they may be.”
He, therefore, urged the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, respectively, to join him in fighting for justice for the country.
Atiku added, “This quest is not for or about Atiku Abubakar; it’s a quest for the enthronement of truth, morality, justice, and accountability in our public affairs.
“In line with this, let me call on all well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thought, religious, traditional, community, and political leaders.
“In particular, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso of NNPP, leaders of political parties in Nigeria, and every single person who loves this country as I do, and who wishes nothing but the best for this country to join me in this campaign to enshrine accountability, and the basic principles of justice, morality, and uprightness in our country and in our government.”
The PDP presidential flagbearer also vowed to pursue his petition before the Supreme Court to a logical conclusion.
“I will only drop the case when the court rules on it. If the court says I am right, fine. If it says he (President Tinubu) is right, fine,” he said.
Recall that the CSU released Tinubu’s academic records on Monday and the institution’s Registrar, Carl Westberg, also carried out a deposition of the documents on Tuesday, in compliance with the ruling of Magistrate Jeffrey Gilbert.
On September 19, the Magistrate had granted Atiku’s request for the release of Tinubu’s academic records, but the President filed a review of the order.
The President’s lawyers had insisted that the documents would not be relevant in Atiku’s appeal against Tinubu at the Supreme Court, asking for a review of the ruling.
But federal Judge Nancy Maldonado overruled Tinubu’s objections and ordered the CSU to release his academic records.
In the CSU documents, CSU responded to Atiku’s four requests, but affirmed that Tinubu attended the university.
Meanwhile, Presidency on Wednesday insisted that the academic records released by CSU had vindicated the President and confirmed him as an alumnus of the school.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Affairs, Temitope Ajayi, also argued that the CSU never said the certificate presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission before the presidential election by Tinubu was forged in its deposition.
With the release of Tinubu’s academic records to the PDP flagbearer on the order of an Illinois, Chicago court, Atiku is expected on Thursday (today) to file his application at the Supreme Court along with the documents he obtained from the university to bolster his appeal at the Supreme Court.