President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, September 21, 2023, filed an emergency motion to stop the Chicago State University, United States, from releasing his academic record to the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. 

Tinubu is seeking a delay in the implementation of the order directing the CSU to comply with Atiku’s subpoenas till Monday, September 25.

Magistrate Jeffrey Gilbert of the US District Court for Northern District of Illinois had on Tuesday, September 19, ordered Tinubu’s alma mater to provide all relevant and non-privileged documents to the applicant, Atiku, within two days.

Some of the documents sought by Atiku through his counsel, Angela Liu, include the record of admission and acceptance at the University, dates of attendance including degrees, awards, and honours attained by Tinubu at the University, among others.

The All Progressives Congress had dismissed the efforts of the PDP standard bearer to obtain the President’s academic record as “an expedition in futility.’’

The Party said it had nothing to fear as the President had always boasted that he had nothing to hide.

But Atiku in pursuit of his allegations that Tinubu was ineligible to contest the February 2023 presidential election secured the order to compel the CSU to release the President’s record.

Tinubu’s emergency motion was electronically filed with the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois through the Case Management/Electronic Case File.

Reacting to reports that the President was attempting to block the release of his educational record to Atiku, the Coordinator of Tinubu Presidential Legal Team, Babatunde Ogala, SAN, clarified that what they were seeking was a review and not an appeal of the order.

Ogala stated, “As I am talking to you, I am in America and on top of this matter. Our people are just making issues out of nothing. What did the magistrate do? I think we need to understand the American procedure.

“The magistrate is to make a recommendation to the district judge and not to give a final order. No, he cannot. He has no such powers. And that is what we are saying to the district judge. They are to make a recommendation, which must be within 48 hours.

“In any case, what is the issue here? Whatever you said you wanted, the court said ‘release non-privileged’. After all, they have confirmed that the man attended their school, got his letter of admission as well as first,  second, third and fourth semester results.

“They have admitted it is their certificate; you (court) are now coming to say they should release the information. For what exactly? They brought his application for admission.’’

Speaking further, the lawyer explained, “What we are even saying is this: We are not filing an appeal but asking for a review against Monday for the judge to pronounce. We are providing the judge with additional information to say the person they have granted this order was granted purportedly because he said that he wants to use it to pursue his litigation in Nigeria.

‘’There is nothing to appeal as it does not show anything to suggest that he is bringing anything from America. Is that not fraudulent? That’s our contention.”

While accusing Atiku and the PDP of whipping up sentiments on social media, Ogala noted ‘’their chasing of shadows in far away America will end in frustration.’’

He said, “We are saying you, the magistrate, should make a recommendation based on your findings and allow the judge to review and make an order. But you cannot make the order. I am on top of the situation. As I told you earlier, I am in America here on the matter

“So, let Nigerians know it is not an appeal but a review we are asking for. There is nothing to appeal. Atiku and his people are desperate. Rather than pursue, we are waiting for him to serve us their appellant briefs in the Supreme Court.

‘’They are busy chasing shadows in America and seeking every means to whip up social media sentiments to distract us from the gains of the United Nations General Assembly.”