ABUJA/Nigeria: The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has submitted new evidence of certificate forgery to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, challenging the qualifications of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the February 25, 2023, presidential election.
Atiku, a former Vice President, has made a decisive assertion that the Diploma Certificate from Chicago State University (CSU), which Tinubu used to secure eligibility for the 2023 election, is fake and allegedly forged.
In a motion on notice filed by Atiku’s legal team, led by Chris Uche (SAN), he has urged the Supreme Court to invoke Order 2 Rule 12 of 1985 to admit this fresh evidence of certificate forgery and perjury in support of his pending appeal. He seeks substantial justice in his case.
The motion, marked SC/CV/935/2023, calls upon the Apex Court to grant Atiku leave to present additional evidence and accept the fresh evidence.
The respondents in the motion include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as 1st to 3rd, respectively.
The motion is rooted in various grounds, with a primary focus on the release of Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University, evidence provided by the university’s Registrar in a United States court, and the deposition of the same witness concerning the Diploma Certificate presented to INEC.
Among the grounds presented are the argument that Tinubu was not qualified to contest the election as required by section 137 (1) (j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
The motion also cites the challenges faced by Atiku’s legal team when attempting to obtain copies of Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University due to strict privacy laws. Eventually, a U.S. District Court granted an order for the release of documents and testimony related to the authenticity of Tinubu’s educational records.
The Chicago State University disclaimed ownership and authorship of the document presented by Tinubu to INEC, stating that it did not issue any replacement certificate to him.
The deposition provided on October 3, 2023, after the conclusion of the trial at the lower court, is deemed vital in resolving this appeal, as it confirms that the certificate presented by Tinubu did not originate from Chicago State University.
The motion emphasizes the constitutional significance of presenting a forged certificate to INEC in a presidential election and urges the Supreme Court to exercise its discretion in favor of the appellants/applicants.
Supporting the motion is an affidavit deposed to on behalf of Atiku and the PDP by Uyi Giwa-Osagie, a legal practitioner, outlining the chronology of events and the dissatisfaction of the appellants with the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
As of now, no date has been scheduled for the hearing of the motion, leaving the Nigerian political landscape on edge awaiting further developments in this high-stakes legal battle.
