Politics
Don’t Wash My Dirty Linens In Public – Tinubu To US Court
A United States’ District Judge, Nancy Maldonado, has received a passionate prayer from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help shield his ugly past, by ordering the Chicago State University (CSU) to guard his personal information from the public.
President Tinubu madet the prayers on Monday, and among what he is desperate to keep from the public are his admission records, transcripts and gender.
Interestintly, these are what the legal team of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar canvass would be of interest to the Nigerian public and help determine their appeal against the ruling of the Presidential Elections Petition Tribunal (PEPT).
However, President Tinubu’s legal team are praying the judge to sanction the release of only his certificate to the appellants.
The motion was filed by the president’s lawyer, Christopher Carmichael, with the clear stance that “the most critical fact has already been clearly and unequivocally established” by President Tinubu’s alma mater.
Recall that Atiku’s legal team had secured an order from a US magistrate, Jeffrey Gilbert, for the CSU to make President Tinubu’s academic records available to them.
Among the documents Atiku’s, counsel, Angela Liu, applied for, are the record of President Tinubu’s admission and acceptance at the CSU, dates of attendance, degrees, awards and honours attained by the former governor of Lagos State at the university.
Recall that with the last Thursday deadline set by Gilbert at hand, President Tinubu’s lawyers approached Maldonado, praying that the earlier decision by Gilbert needed to be reviewed by a district judge.
The judge acceded to their prayers.
There was a twist on Monday, however, as President Tinubu’s legal team prayed the court to release only the certificate and preclude other academic records, which they described as “privileged”.
An extract from the motion filed by President Tinubu’s lawyer read, “The most critical fact has already been clearly and unequivocally established by Chicago State University: Intervenor was awarded the degree as he stated.
“This point is irrelevant to the applicant because he is not seeking anything more than opposition research on a political opponent.
“The magistrate judge clearly erred in granting the application for discovery and concluding that Chicago State University must respond to the document and deposition subpoenas.
“That conclusion should be set aside and the application should be denied because the information sought cannot be used and therefore is not ‘for use’ in the foreign proceedings.
“Even if a narrow subset of information can be considered ‘for use’ in the foreign proceeding, that is limited to the diploma submitted to INEC.
“Fishing expeditions into other documents and more document productions must be precluded.”
This twist comes two days after the self-acclaimed classmate of the president, Olajide Adeniji, testified in the US district court that he knows and contested against President Tinubu as President of the Accounting Society Club at the Department of Business Admin/Accounting in the same CSU.
In the oath he took on September 23 at the Northern District of Illinois Court in Chicago, Adeniji swore that he was familiar with the same President Tinubu, the current president of Nigeria.
Biztellers gathered that Atiku’s camp has sworn to resist President Tinubu’s recent move, which they aver made it obvious that the President was bent on hiding something from Nigerians.
The Atiku camp is already bubbly with the prayers of the President Tinubu legal team.
They consider it a veiled confession that President Tinubu was living on a borrowed identity and would approach the court with counter-prayers.
Director, Research and Strategy, Atiku/Okowa 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Pedro Obaseki, alleged that the claim by President Tinubu that the release of his record to the public would cause him personal pain was because the owner of the disputed certificate is a woman.
Speaking at a Zoom conference hosted by a London-based psychologist, Gold Emmanuel on Monday, Obaseki said the CSU would only confirm what Atiku’s camp already knew by making public the record of President Tinubu, who graduated from the institution in the late 70s.
He said, “Nigerians will be more demoralised that the owner of the certificate that President Tinubu is parading is a woman.
“We already know it as a fact, but we are seeking the release of the documents officially by CSU.”
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has announced its decision to back Northern candidates in the 2027 general elections, citing the urgent need to address the worsening socio-economic and security challenges facing the region.
In a communique issued after its National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday, the forum expressed deep concern over the economic state of Northern Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, attributing the region’s struggles to flawed governance and poor policy decisions.
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The ACF criticized the Federal Government’s economic policies, describing them as detrimental to the livelihoods of Northern citizens.
According to the communique, signed by the forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the policies have compounded the already dire economic conditions in the region.
The statement reads, “Arewa people remain at a great disadvantage, being already worse off economically compared to other parts of Nigeria. While economic reforms are indeed desirable, they should not impoverish the same people they are meant to serve. Policies must have a human face.”
The forum noted that the North faces chronic food insecurity, limited educational and vocational opportunities for youth, and a heavy reliance on small-scale economic activities.
“Livelihoods are currently dependent on micro activities. The region faces acute and chronic food insecurity; its youths lack education and skills training. Daunting as these may be, they can be reversed. The time to think big is now,” the communique emphasized.
The ACF also addressed the pervasive insecurity in the North, warning that the situation has begun to erode public confidence in the government.
“Security is an irreducible minimum of human existence. In this regard, insecurity in its various manifestations remains the most worrisome challenge of Arewa people, that has even started to corrosively undermine the authority of government,” the forum stated.
It condemned the government’s response to the crisis, arguing that the Federal Government has failed to meet its primary duty of safeguarding lives and property.
“That those whose responsibility it is to provide security will be saying they are doing their best is unacceptable,” the communique said. “The minimum duty of government is to safeguard life and property, and doing anything less is a failure.”
The ACF faulted what it described as the “flawed leadership selection process” under the Tinubu administration, claiming it has elevated individuals without the requisite competence or experience to key positions.
It urged the Federal Government to “review, reassess, reevaluate, and re-order the direction of its economic policies with a view to giving it the needed human face.”
Looking ahead to the next general elections, the ACF pledged its support for Northern politicians who demonstrate a clear commitment to addressing the region’s challenges and fostering national development.
“Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaring economic conditions, the policies of the current Federal Government have continued to make matters much worse,” the communique stated.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has urged Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to prioritize completing ongoing projects and avoid leaving any abandoned during his second term in office.
Ganduje made the call on Wednesday at the APC’s national secretariat in Abuja after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented Certificates of Return to Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Adelami Olaide.
Governor Aiyedatiwa’s re-election was marked by a sweeping victory in all 18 local government areas of the state during last Saturday’s governorship election.
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Ganduje praised the outcome, describing it as a testament to the people’s confidence in the APC-led administration.
“I am happy about the landslide result. The election is not the effort of the elite and middle class alone; it is also through the effort of the grassroots,” Ganduje said. “Out of 203 wards, APC won 202, losing only one ward. This is a victory embraced by all.”
Ganduje highlighted the importance of continuity and urged the governor to leverage his experience from the previous administration led by the late Rotimi Akeredolu.
“As a deputy, you knew how projects were started by your late governor. You were part of it, also as a governor for 10 months, and now as a re-elected governor. For the next four years, you will continue,” he said.
“You know the terrains, geography, and physical landscape of all 18 local government areas. Use these insights to carve out projects that will improve the lives of the Ondo people.”
Meanwhile, Ondo APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, commended Ganduje’s leadership and strategic direction, which he credited for the party’s success in the election.
He also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support for Aiyedatiwa’s candidacy, despite internal opposition from some party stakeholders.
“We have finally killed PDP in Ondo,” Adetimehin declared. “Most of the leaders of that party have defected to the APC. With the landslide victory in this election, it is clear to the whole world that there is no PDP in Ondo.”
He further described Ganduje as a mentor whose leadership had been instrumental in uniting the party and ensuring victory at the polls.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, who succeeded Akeredolu and completed his tenure before securing re-election, has pledged to focus on delivering on his mandate and completing critical projects in his second term.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally issued certificates of return to Ondo State Governor-elect Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olayide Adelami, following their victory in Saturday’s governorship election.
The presentation ceremony took place on Wednesday at INEC headquarters in Abuja, where the commission’s National Commissioner for Ondo State, Kunle Ajayi, handed over the certificates.
Biztellers reports that Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent governor, emerged victorious in the election, securing 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes.
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The results were announced in Akure on Sunday by the Returning Officer, Professor Olayemi Akinyemi, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja.
Election observers described the polls as peaceful and credible, commending INEC for improved logistical arrangements.
The event was attended by top APC officials, including the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, and other party members.
Ganduje hailed the outcome as a triumph for democracy in Nigeria.
“Since 1999, we have been enjoying democracy, and we always fine-tune it to ensure it is fair, free, and decent, so that it is the vote of the people that counts,” Ganduje said.
PDP Rejects Results
Despite widespread praise for the conduct of the election, the PDP has rejected the outcome, describing it as fraudulent. Its candidate, Ajayi, vowed to challenge the results in court.
Aiyedatiwa Pledges Better Leadership
Speaking after receiving his certificate of return, Aiyedatiwa expressed gratitude to the people of Ondo State for renewing his mandate.
“The mandate you have just renewed via your huge votes across 18 LGAs where we won convincingly has placed a burden on me to serve you better than I did before now,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa initially assumed office in December 2023 following the death of his predecessor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
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