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Chicago Academic Record: Atiku Plans Fresh Suit Against Tinubu

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The legal team of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is planning to file a motion to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s plea for Chicago State University not to release privileged documents in his academic records.

The Special Adviser to Atiku on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, told The Punch that the legal team had up to 48 hours to respond to the motion in the US court.

Atiku had earlier secured an order for CSU to make the president’s academic records available to his legal team.

A magistrate, Jeffrey Gilbert, had last week ordered Tinubu’s alma mater to provide all relevant and non-privileged documents to the applicant within two days.

Atiku is currently challenging the victory of the former Lagos State governor at the 2023 presidential poll and his recent affirmation by an election petition court in Nigeria.

The documents sought by the PDP candidate, through his counsel, Angela Liu, include the record of admission and acceptance at the university, dates of attendance including degrees, awards, and honors attained by the former governor of Lagos State at the university, among others.

But as the deadline given by Gilbert drew nearer on Thursday, Tinubu’s lawyers approached Maldonado, arguing that the earlier decision by Gilbert needed to be reviewed by a district judge.

The request for a review and delay of the order till Monday was eventually granted by the US district judge.

Tinubu’s application, filed by his lawyers, Oluwole Afolabi and Christopher Charmichael, advanced two reasons.

First was that his academic records in issue are not useful in Nigerian courts as claimed by Atiku because the Nigerian election proceedings and the Nigerian courts have explicitly been unreceptive to the discovery.

The second reason given was that Atiku’s request is unduly intrusive because it allows Applicant (Atiku) to conduct a fishing expedition into intervenor’s private, confidential, and protected educational records.

When asked on Wednesday to confirm if Atiku has filed the suit as he earlier threatened in Monday, Shaibu reassured that the former vice president would submit the motion before midnight.

He said, “I am sure you have seen his application. We are working on our response. We have up till midnight today (Wednesday) to respond to them. And we will.”

On when they expect the court to rule over the matter, Shaibu stated that “It is after we have responded to the court, that it will fix the date and inform the parties.”

When contacted for reaction, Coordinator of Tinubu Presidential Legal Team, Babatunde Ogala, who spoke via phone from his base in the United States told The Punch he would rather not speak on the development.

“As I told you earlier, I am still on vacation,” he said.

The Punch

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Just In: EFCC Arrests Former Delta Gov, Ifeanyi Okowa

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested a former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa.

The former governor was arrested on accusations of misusing funds derived from resource allocation.

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NASU, SSANU Suspend Strike for Four Weeks

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The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have announced suspension for a month, of the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike over withheld salaries.

The unions, in a joint statement on Sunday, said the suspension of the indefinite strike will take effect on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

The statement was signed by Prince Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, National President of SSANU.

The strike was commenced on the Monday, October 28, 2024 as a result of what the unions called “government’s insensitivity to the plights of our members in respect of our legitimate demands.”

The statement read: “The National leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU acknowledges and commends our members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres for their unwavering resolve, unrelenting determination and steadfast support for the ongoing strike action.

“You will recall that the ongoing strike action foisted on us commenced on the Monday, 28th October, 2024 as a result of government’s insensitivity to the plights of our members in respect of our legitimate demands

“During this industrial struggle, we have had several extensive and exhaustive deliberations with the officials of the Federal Government of Nigeria including the new Minister of Education, the Minister of Finance, the outgoing Minister of State for Education, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, the Accountant-General of the Federation and the leadership of the Department of State Services

“These high-level engagements culminated into extracting an irrevocable commitment from the Federal government that the 2 months of the 4 months withheld salaries would be paid in staggered form. One month by the end of October, 2024 (which has largely been done), then the second month to be paid by the end of November, 2024.

“Arising from the above and in view of the level of commitment exhibited by the new minister and the leadership of the Department of State Services, the leadership of JAC, after several contacts and other patriotic considerations, hereby directs that the ongoing indefinite strike be suspended for one- month effective Tuesday, 5th November, 2024.

“Branch leaders of both NASU and SSANU are hereby directed to convene a joint Congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 4th November, 2024 and intimate members of these development and urge them to resume work on Tuesday, 5th November, 2024.

“We wish to also reiterate that discussions on the remaining 2 months, the N50 billion Earned Allowances, Arrears of 25/35 per cent and the Wage Award have been revisited and are undergoing deliberations.

“Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation in this regard; we appreciate your total commitment and resoluteness during this struggle.”

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Otti Gives Abia LG Election Clean Bill of Health As ZLP Wins 15, YPP 2 Councils

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Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has expressed satisfaction over the smooth electoral process in Saturday’s local government elections in the State.

Otti spoke in an interview with journalists after casting his vote at Ahiafor Umuru-Umuehim Nvosi Polling Unit 017 in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

He also expressed satisfaction with the voter turnout and orderly conduct of the exercise. The governor was accompanied to the polling unit by his wife Priscilla, who also voted in the same unit.

He said that, aside from minor disruptions in Obingwa and Ohafia LGAs, the process was largely peaceful, with security agencies deployed to maintain order where needed.

He encouraged the electorate to always vote for credible candidates, who could deliver their campaign promises.

He also reiterated the importance of choosing leaders based on competence, rather than political affiliation.

Otti said that council elections were particularly significant because they impact rural communities directly, allowing residents to elect candidates they know and trust.

“The point remains that political parties are platforms for running elections and like you would notice, a lot of political parties have problems but irrespective of that, we have advocated that people should vote candidates that are credible and competent to deliver.

“If you want to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy, if you want to continue to enjoy performance then, you need to vote people like that.

“I believe that this election would synchronize with that call I’ve been making because people have also been talking about it, that they are going to vote people who have capacity.

“And it’s a local government election. We all know our people,” Otti said.

He further expressed the hope that the elections would reflect the people’s desire for capable leadership and reinforce the delivery of democratic dividends at the grassroots level.

The local government election, which suffered initial hiccups over the late arrival of materials and officials, later gathered momentum.

Meanwhile, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) won a total of 15 council seats while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) won two local government areas.

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