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Chicago State University Inquest: Atiku Goes for the Kill

Published

3 years ago

August 27, 2023

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

What started like as a mere regular legal process on July 11, 2023 when Atiku Abubakar took his fight against President Bola Tinubu’s presidency to the United States of America court, is fast becoming a turning point even as the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal continue to reserve its judgment.

Atiku, a former Vice President of Nigeria, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 presidential election heightened the tension associated with the election by filing a petition to obtain information about Tinubu’s academic records at Chicago State University, where the president claimed he attended and obtained a certificate.

Atiku’s attorney, Angela Liu, had requested documents pertaining to Tinubu’s admission, attendance, degrees, awards, and honors obtained during his time at the university. These issues had been a subject of disputes since the days of Tinubu’s stewardship as the governor of Lagos State.

Atiku had aimed to use the subpoena to verify the authenticity of his claims and establish the truth amidst ongoing disputes about his election and academic history.

Atiku’s application was spurred by an earlier case in Nigeria on November 9, 2022, several months before the Presidential elections, in which one Mr. Mike Enahoro-Ebah, described as a “Human Rights Defender and Public Interest Litigator” in Abuja, commenced proceedings against Tinubu by filing a “Direct Criminal Complaint” in the Chief Magistrate Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a swift response however, President Tinubu’s legal team had filed a counter motion to dismiss the subpoena in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chicago, USA through Victor Henderson, counsel to President Tinubu, who argued that the petition lacked the necessary court authorization and provided inadequate time for compliance, violating the Illinois Supreme Court Rules.

According to BussinessDay, “Legal experts and commentators have voiced their opinions on Atiku’s pursuit of justice abroad. Mike Ozekhome, a human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, viewed Atiku’s actions positively, stating that the international nature of the matter warranted seeking legal assistance outside Nigeria.

“Kennedy Khanoba, a Constitutional lawyer, however, maintained that unless President Tinubu is convicted in the US court, Atiku’s efforts might yield little results. He emphasized that only a conviction would have a significant impact on Tinubu’s presidential position, as convictions result in a prohibition from holding public office for a specified period.

“Jackson Ojo, a political analyst, told Punch Newspaper that the sovereignty of Nigeria as an independent state could limit the influence of foreign court rulings on Nigerian affairs. He expressed skepticism about the direct impact of an American court ruling on the outcome of Nigerian elections and judicial proceedings.

As the legal battle unfolds, Nigerians remain divided on the efficacy of seeking justice abroad. Atiku’s pursuit of evidence through the US court system has ignited debates about the integrity of Nigeria’s legal system and its potential impact on the country’s political landscape. The final verdict and its implications for the Nigerian presidency remain uncertain as legal proceedings continue.

But complicating the defence of Tinubu and his legal, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, admitted that it has jurisdiction in the case instituted by Atiku, to compel CSU to produce critical documents relating to Tinubu.

THE ORIGIN

In his original complaint as described by oblongmedia, Mr. Enahoro-Ebah alleged that Mr. Tinubu submitted an “Affidavit of Personal Particulars” to INEC in June 2022 as part of a required filing to run for President that included a forged CSU diploma dated June 22, 1979 and other information that is inconsistent with the CSU documents.

According to court papers filed by Atiku in the US court dated August 2, 2023, to support the allegations, “Mr. Enahoro-Ebah stated that after Mr. Tinubu made his INEC filing, Mr. Enahoro-Ebah obtained a subpoena from the Circuit Court of Cook County, dated August 11, 2022, and served it on CSU. In response to the subpoena, CSU’s Registrar, Mr. Caleb Westberg, sent a letter dated September 22, 2022, to Mr. Enahoro-Ebah’s Chicago counsel, Mr. Matthew J. Kowals, advising Mr. Kowals that “[t]he enclosed documentation is all the records we have for Bola E. Tinubu.

“According to the complaint, the documents that accompanied Mr. Westberg’s letter included a CSU diploma issued to Mr. Tinubu on June 27, 1979. The June 27 diploma allegedly produced by CSU to Mr. Kowals, and the June 22 diploma allegedly submitted by Mr. Tinubu to INEC, are very different documents. In addition to the different dates, the documents have different seals, fonts, and language. The June 22 diploma has grammatical errors that the June 27 diploma does not have. They are also signed by different persons who are ostensibly officials of CSU. The June 22 diploma has three signatures, one of which purports to be the signature of Dr. Elnora Daniel as President of CSU. The other two signatures on the June 22 diploma are illegible.

“By contrast, the June 27 diploma only has two signatures. They purport to be the signatures of Dr. Daniel, again as the President of CSU, and Dr. Niva Lubin as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. Compare

“In his complaint, Mr. Enahoro-Ebah asserts that the June 27 diploma produced by CSU to Mr. Kowals is authentic, and that the June 22 diploma submitted by Mr. Tinubu to INEC is a forgery. However, Applicant’s staff have recently conducted further research into the names of CSU officials with legible signatures on the two diplomas: Dr. Daniel (whose signature appears on both the June 22 and June 27 diplomas) and Dr. Lubin (whose signature appears only on the June 27 diploma). According to public records, Dr. Daniel and Dr. Lubin did not join CSU until the late 1990s—around two decades after CSU supposedly awarded the June 22 diploma and/or the June 27 diploma to Mr. Tinubu.

Applicant’s research therefore calls into question the authenticity of both the June 22 and the June 27 diplomas.

In his complaint, Mr. Enahoro-Ebah alleged the following additional discrepancies between the information provided by Mr. Tinubu to INEC and the documents produced by CSU to Mr. Enahoro-Ebah:

“According to documents produced by CSU, the “Bola Tinubu” who attended CSU was a U.S. citizen, while in the information provided to INEC, Mr. Tinubu states that he has always been solely a Nigerian citizen and has never acquired the citizenship of any other country. According to the documents produced by CSU, the “Bola Tinubu” who attended CSU was born in 1954, while according to the information provided to the INEC, Mr. Tinubu was born in 1952.

“According to the documents produced by CSU, the “Bola Tinubu” who applied to CSU submitted a prior transcript from Southwest College that identified “Bola Tinubu” as “female.” According to the documents produced by CSU, the “Bola Tinubu” who attended CSU claimed that s/he had graduated from Government College, Lagos, in 1970, while in the information provided to INEC, Mr. Tinubu makes no mention of having attended Government College.

ATIKU SATISFIES ALL REQUIREMENTS – US COURT

Pursuant to the above, Atiku, by and through his counsel, applied to the Court for an order granting him leave to compel CSU to release and verify the authenticity of documents purportedly issued to Tinubu by the university.

The court said Atiku has satisfied all statutory requirements as he is an “interested person”; and the respondent, CSU, is a public university established and existing under the laws of Illinois, with its principal campus and offices in Chicago.

Having met all requirements, the court said it will not hesitate to grant the prayers of Atiku.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on March 1, 2023 declared Bola Tinubu winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election, having polled 8,794,726 to defeat his closest rivals, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party to the second and third positions respectively.

Both Atiku and Obi questioned Tinubu’s eligibility to run for the presidency. Obi’s argument revolved around Tinubu’s alleged forfeiture of $460,000 due to a drug-related case in the United States and his inability to secure 25 percent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory among other irregularities he felt occurred during the electons.

The coming days will prove what will become of the already shaky Tinubu presidency, especially with Atiku going for the kill.

Headline

2027: Tinubu Wants to Contest Against Himself – Dele Momodu

Published

7 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Eric

Former presidential candidate and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has accused Nigerian President Bola Tinubu of attempting to weaken opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections, reiterating his earlier warning that the country is finally drifting toward a one-party political system.

Momodu made the remarks during an appearance on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, where he delivered a sweeping critique of the current political landscape and the growing wave of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, democracy thrives on strong opposition parties and competitive elections, but recent political developments suggest the ruling party may be consolidating power in a way that limits meaningful political competition.

“There must be opposition politics. There must be opposition candidates, but Tinubu wants to contest against himself and it doesn’t make sense to me,” Momodu said during the interview.

He argued that the increasing movement of opposition politicians into the ruling party is creating a political environment where viable alternatives to the government are shrinking.

Momodu described the situation as troubling for Nigeria’s democracy, warning that if opposition parties continue to weaken, the country could gradually move toward a one-party system.

“A lot of people are worried that now we have virtually a one-party state. It’s a sad day for democracy in Nigeria,” he said.

The veteran journalist and publisher also suggested that many politicians aligning themselves with the government are motivated more by access to power and resources than genuine political conviction. Addressing the president directly during the interview, Momodu said some of those publicly expressing loyalty to Tinubu may ultimately betray him at the polls.

“A lot of people are deceiving you, Mr President. They are going to collect your money. They know you have a bottomless pit of money. They will collect it, but I doubt if they will vote for you,” he said.

Momodu noted that his criticism of the president was not personal, recalling that he and Tinubu were once allies during Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle against military rule.

He said both men were active during the campaign to actualise the June 12, 1993 election won by the late businessman and politician Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

“We were together in exile. He was very active in the struggle against dictatorship,” Momodu said, adding that his views about Tinubu’s leadership style developed over time.

Despite their shared political history, Momodu said he felt compelled to speak out about what he described as the increasing concentration of power in Nigeria’s political system.

Looking ahead to the next presidential election, Momodu said Tinubu could be defeated if opposition forces unite around a strong coalition candidate. He specifically mentioned former vice-president Atiku Abubakar as a potential contender capable of challenging the ruling party.

According to him, a joint ticket combining Atiku with Peter Obi or Rotimi Amaechi could significantly weaken the ruling party’s chances.

“If we have a combination of Atiku, maybe with Peter Obi, maybe with Rotimi Amaechi, Tinubu will be gone,” he said.

Momodu also insisted that Tinubu is not as politically invincible as many believe, arguing that unpopular incumbents can be defeated through strategic opposition alliances and voter mobilisation.

“It is not that Nigerians are afraid of Tinubu. Tinubu is afraid of Nigerians,” he said.

He further criticised the administration’s performance in several areas, particularly security and economic hardship, noting that many Nigerians are facing difficult living conditions.

“Insecurity is number one. Poverty has quadrupled. The fuel subsidy was removed and the government says more money is coming in, but Nigerians have not seen the effect of it,” he said.

Momodu added that the government should focus on addressing the country’s pressing challenges rather than concentrating on political calculations ahead of the next election.

“The president should focus on solving the problems of Nigerians now instead of thinking about 2027,” he said.

He maintained that Nigeria’s political history shows that governments that concentrate power eventually face resistance from the electorate and insisted that citizens must remain engaged in protecting the country’s democratic system.

“Any citizen who believes that Tinubu does not deserve a second term should come out boldly and oppose him,” Momodu said.

Source: thewhistler.ng

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UK Orders Airspace Restrictions, Road Closures for Tinubu’s State Visit

Published

4 days ago

March 12, 2026

Eric

Authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) have announced temporary airspace restrictions and road closures in Windsor ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to the country.

Britain’s monarch, King Charles III, will host Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu at Windsor Castle on March 18 and 19, 2026.

State visits represent the highest level of diplomatic engagement hosted by the British monarch.

According to Thames Valley Police, extensive security measures will be implemented in Windsor during Tinubu’s state visit, including an expanded airspace exclusion zone and a large-scale policing operation.

The castle already operates under a permanent airspace restriction, but authorities said the exclusion zone will be extended on March 18 between 07:00 and 23:59 GMT.

Police warned that anyone who breaches the restriction will “likely” face arrest.

Security operations will involve search teams, armed units, mounted officers, and road policing officers. Neighbourhood officers and Project Servator teams will also conduct patrols across the town to deter and detect criminal activity while engaging with the public.

Officials added that Windsor’s extensive CCTV network and hostile vehicle mitigation barriers will also be used as part of security arrangements.

Ch Supt Adrian Hall of the joint operations unit said:

“As a force, we have a vast amount of experience in policing royal events in Windsor, and significant planning and preparation have gone into this event.

“We will ensure everyone attending the state visit, including dignitaries, spectators, and members of the public, are kept safe to enjoy the historic occasion.”

Authorities said several road closures and parking restrictions will begin on March 17 ahead of Tinubu’s State visit, warning that motorists may experience temporary disruption on roads in and around Windsor.

Some footways and pedestrian crossings in the town centre will also close periodically between 09:30 and 12:30 on March 17 and 18 for a ceremonial procession.

Headline

False and Misleading: Senator Ireti Kingibe Not Suspended, Says ADC

Published

4 days ago

March 12, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has dismissed reports that Senator Ireti Kingibe has been suspended from the party, describing the claims as false and misleading.

Kingibe currently represents the Federal Capital Territory in the Senate.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC is not aware of any decision to suspend the senator and urged the public to ignore the circulating reports.

Abdullahi emphasized that the party has well-defined constitutional procedures for handling allegations involving its members.

“The African Democratic Congress is unaware of any suspension of Senator Ireti Kingibe, the distinguished Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.

He added that as a law-abiding political party, the ADC follows established internal mechanisms when dealing with issues concerning its members rather than addressing such matters through media statements.

“As a law-abiding political party, the ADC has clear constitutional procedures for addressing any allegations involving its members. Such matters are handled through established internal mechanisms, not through press statements,” Abdullahi stated.

The party therefore called on the public and media organizations to disregard the reports of Kingibe’s alleged suspension.

“We therefore urge the public and the media to disregard the reports suggesting that Senator Ireti Kingibe has been suspended by the party, as they are false and misleading,” the statement added.