New Twist Over President Tinubu’s Chicago Certificate As Supreme Court Says It Received Two Contradictory Letters From CSU
As Atiku Abubakar seeks the disqualification of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s over his alleged certificate forgery, the seven-man panel of the supreme court headed by Justice John Okoro has revealed that it received two conflicting letters from the Chicago State University.
The supreme court began hearing Atiku Abubakar’s appeal of judgement delivered by the lower court which validated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaration of president Bola Ahmed the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
However, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party had obtained president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate which the registrar of the institution during deposition, stated that the certificate president Tinubu had submitted to INEC did not originate from the institution.
Hence, Atiku Abubakar through his counsels, prayed the seven man panel to disqualify president Bola Ahmed Tinubu candidature over his alleged forged certificate.
In their defense, President Bola Tinubu’s lawyer argued that the matter is a pre-election one and that fresh evidence can not be filed at appellate court; therefore urges the court to deny the application.
Atiku’s lawyer insisted that certificate forgery disqualifies a candidate at all time, irrespective of when it’s presented as evidence.
However, the head of the panel, Justice John Okoro stated that the claim by Atiku Abubakar has to be proven beyond reasonable doubt. He added that the panel has received two conflicting letters from Chicago State University; one authenticating the Tinubu’s certificate and the other discrediting it.
“But in this case, there are two conflicting letters from the CSU – one authenticating the president’s certificate and another discrediting it. Which do we rely on?,” he asked.
