ABUJA/Nigeria: The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has characterized President Bola Tinubu’s recent emergency application as a delay tactic aimed at halting the release of his academic credentials. This move comes in response to a United States Magistrate Court’s order directing Chicago State University to disclose Tinubu’s academic records within 48 hours, with the deadline fast approaching.
President Tinubu wasted no time in responding to the court’s directive. In a swift move, he filed an emergency application with the District Court, seeking to prevent the implementation of the order. In the application submitted on Thursday, Tinubu raised serious concerns about the court’s actions, alleging that Judge Jeffrey Gilbert had exceeded his constitutional authority by acting as the final authority in matters of discovery. Tinubu argued that a magistrate should only report and recommend to the district judge in such cases.
Furthermore, Tinubu contended that the Magistrate Court had issued what appeared to be a definitive order on September 19, with immediate compliance required starting on September 21. He implored the court to delay the enforcement of the Magistrate’s order until September 25, 2023, to allow for a comprehensive review of its scope and legal applicability.
Tinubu’s legal representative, Mr. Carmichael, emphasized in the motion that other courts addressing the authority of magistrates in Section 1782 applications had typically issued reports and recommendations, rather than immediate compliance orders. The motion highlighted the potential harm to Tinubu’s interests if Chicago State University were to comply with the Magistrate’s order before a thorough judicial review could take place.
To address the urgency of the situation, the motion requested that the Court defer compliance by Chicago State University until Monday, providing time for a comprehensive review of the Magistrate’s ruling and, if necessary, allowing the discovery process to proceed before September 27.
While Tinubu’s legal maneuver seeks to delay the release of his academic records, it was quickly noticed by Mr. Paul Ibe, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former Vice President Abubakar Atiku. Ibe viewed Tinubu’s actions as a delaying tactic aimed at stalling the release of academic records before the Supreme Court begins its examination of Atiku’s appeal against the September 6 judgment of the President Election Petition Court.
Ibe commented on the situation, suggesting that Tinubu’s efforts to withhold his records might imply hidden information. He expressed his anticipation that the truth about Tinubu’s records at Chicago State University would eventually come to light, asserting that Nigerians would soon gain insight into Atiku’s position regarding those records.
As the legal battle intensifies, the nation awaits further developments in this unfolding saga.
