The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused presidential candidate Bola Tinubu of not being forthcoming in clarifying alleged inconsistencies in his academic achievements. Atiku urged Tinubu to allow the legal process to proceed and clear up the controversy around his educational qualifications.
In a statement from Atiku’s media office, his counsel, Liu Angela, revealed that she had sent an email to Tinubu’s lawyers requesting cooperation in seeking clarification from Chicago State University (CSU) regarding documents already in the public domain. These documents were submitted in Nigerian court proceedings. Angela’s email, dated August 3, 2023, seeks information from CSU about the authenticity and distribution of these documents.
Atiku’s lawyer expressed the belief that Tinubu should have been eager to address any discrepancies in his academic records and resolve the matter through the legal process. Angela stated that if Tinubu could provide an explanation for the inconsistencies, it might eliminate the need for or expedite the deposition.
Atiku, through his lawyer, expressed a willingness to collaborate with Tinubu’s legal team to clarify the controversies surrounding the latter’s educational claims. However, Tinubu’s team has opposed initiatives to reveal his academic records, raising suspicions that he might be concealing something.
Angela noted that Tinubu’s strong opposition to this discovery has intensified doubts and suggested that he might be withholding information. She expressed disappointment with how Tinubu has obstructed and delayed the judicial process.
Tinubu had the option to join the case earlier, but he remained silent until Atiku’s team submitted an “Order Directing Discovery” of his academic records in court. He later applied to join the case, which Atiku’s lawyer perceived as a delay tactic.
Angela emphasized that Atiku does not oppose Tinubu’s motion to join the case but questions why Tinubu filed it independently rather than coordinating with Atiku’s counsel. She further noted that Atiku’s legal team had already informed Tinubu and CSU about the intended application to join the case.
