“What an interesting election year,” commented Jacob, also known as ‘@_Jayky,’ on the X platform. This was his reaction to a post by David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin), a Nigerian investigative journalist.
Hundeyin’s post read, “PlainSite has initiated U.S. civil proceedings against @StateDept, @FBI, @DEAHQ, @IRSnews, and @USAttorneys due to their refusal to honor FOIA requests concerning their knowledge of @officialABAT’s involvement in heroin trafficking. To provide context, PlainSite not only grants public access to vast amounts of data for free but also empowers ordinary citizens to influence the legislative process.”
PlainSite has today commenced U.S. civil proceedings against @StateDept, @FBI, @DEAHQ, @IRSnews and @USAttorneys following their refusal to honour FOIA requests about their knowledge of @officialABAT‘s involvement in heroin trafficking.https://t.co/dQmScen7ms
— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) June 23, 2023
Background:
Before the 2023 presidential election, investigative journalist David Hundeyin aimed to shed light on allegations of money forfeiture and offenses linked to narcotics trafficking by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate for the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Tinubu had reportedly forfeited $460,000 to U.S. authorities as part of a plea bargain in the past. Tinubu had reportedly forfeited $460,000 to U.S. authorities as part of a plea bargain in the past. Although this information has been in the public domain for over two decades, the investigative journalist noted few Nigerians were aware.
The U.S. District court records:
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois recently released documents detailing Tinubu’s interactions with American authorities, including allegations of narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
However, the 56-page document did not reveal significant new details but reinforced previously known information.
FBI’s Document release:
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is set to release approximately 2,500 documents related to President Bola Tinubu starting in October. The release will occur at a rate of 500 pages per month, according to Peoples Gazette.
The FBI’s decision followed initial reluctance to release these documents in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed in 2022. PlainSite, a website advocating for transparency and anti-corruption, filed the request in collaboration with journalist David Hundeyin.
This disclosure is expected to clarify when Tinubu entered the U.S., under what name, and provide details about his activities during his extended stay in the country.
Academic controversy:
Amidst this legal battle, another controversy has arisen regarding Tinubu’s academic records. A discrepancy emerged from Chicago State University (CSU) records, indicating a “Bola Tinubu” enrolled in 1977, submitting a transcript belonging to a woman.
Opponent Atiku Abubakar raised questions about these discrepancies, suggesting that Tinubu’s academic documents may be falsified. Tinubu responded by calling it a “conspiracy theory.”
The academic controversy has intensified ahead of a U.S. court hearing, where Abubakar hopes the records will support his challenge to Tinubu’s presidency over allegedly falsified documents.
What’s next:
The legal battles involving Tinubu’s background and academic records continue, with hearings scheduled in the United States. These cases have attracted significant attention, both in Nigeria and abroad, as they may impact the presidential election and raise questions about transparency and credibility in Nigerian politics.
In response to these events, ÓMÒÉLÉRÍNJÁRÉ (@omoelerinjare), sharing his thought on X, wrote “This is just a reminder that Atiku’s lawyers, Chicago State University lawyers, and Mr. Oluwole Tinubu’s lawyer will be at Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, 219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60604 this morning to defend the ‘OLUWOLE’ copy of the result Tinubu submitted to @inecnigeria. Even if the Nigerian Judiciary has decided to sell their conscience to the DEV1l and they are not going to do anything when the truth about the copy he submitted is revealed, at least the world deserves to know the truth. Thank you Alhaji Abubakar Atiku for following through! See you there!”
This is just a reminder that Atiku’s lawyers, Chicago State University lawyers, and Mr. Oluwole Tinubu’s lawyer will be at Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60604 this morning to defend the ‘OLUWOLE’ copy of the result Tinubu… pic.twitter.com/dnCKR448n2— ÓMÒÉLÉRÍNJÁRÉ (@omoelerinjare) September 12, 2023
