A US court has ordered Chicago State University to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu to his rival presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, by Monday, October 2.
The ruling by the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois comes after Abubakar filed a lawsuit seeking access to Tinubu’s records, which the Nigerian president has refused to release publicly.
In its ruling, Judge Nancy Maldonado, in a copy of the judgment obtained by reporters said that Abubakar’s interest in the information outweighs any intrusion on Tinubu’s privacy interests.
“Atiku’s application is therefore granted,” the court said. “The respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents. The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.”
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The court’s ruling is a major victory for Abubakar, who has been campaigning on a platform of transparency and accountability. It is also a setback for Tinubu, who has been accused of hiding his academic record from the public.
The case is expected to be appealed to a higher court.
The ruling by the US court is likely to have a significant impact on the Nigerian presidential election.
The case is also likely to spark a debate about transparency and accountability in Nigerian politics. If the court’s ruling is upheld, it could set a precedent for other candidates to demand access to the academic records of their opponents.
