A lawyer representing the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of submitting a forged degree certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the election.
This was stated by Atiku’s lawyer, Kalu Kalu, during a press conference held yesterday following the release of the President’s academic records by Chicago State University.
Despite the President and his allies’ denials, Kalu indicated that the disclosed document supports the forgery suspicions.
Asked what the documents show, he said, “One, that Bola Ahmed Tinubu forged the certificate he presented to INEC. That, two, that the qualifying certificate from South West College to Chicago State University bears a female name indicating that that document does not belong to Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Three, the Chicago State University admission form has a claim that Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended Government College Lagos and graduated in 1970 when indeed the school was established in 1974.
“The same document has it that the owner of that document is a black American and (in) the document Bola Ahmed Tinubu submitted to INEC, he denied having dual citizenship which means it does not belong to him. Then, the same document, oral deposition, said the A in Bola A Tinubu is Ahmed but the NYSC certificate Bola Ahmed Tinubu submitted to INEC has Adekunle. I don’t know where Adekunle emerged from.”
Former Vice President Abubakar has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn Tinubu’s election after the Presidential Election Tribunal denied his plea.
As part of his effort to reverse the result, he successfully filed a complaint in the United States, and his legal team got the President’s academic records, which have been the topic of debate.
When Kalu was asked at the press conference what value he expected the documents received to have at the Supreme Court, he said, “It is very, very clear that from decided authorities, the Supreme Court has held that they can accept a party to adduce fresh evidence as long as certain conditions are met and from what transpired in proceedings in US courts, that condition has been met.
“So, as we speak, our law is very clear that a party at fault cannot be allowed to enjoy the fruits of its illegality.”
Meanwhile, Atiku has urged Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to join him in his fight for justice in the case.
According to him, his move is for a better Nigeria, and he encourages well-meaning others to join the movement as well.
“Let me call on all well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thoughts, our religious, traditional, community and political leaders and in particular, Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP and the leaders of every political party in Nigeria and indeed every single person who loves this country as I do and who wishes nothing but the best for this country as I do, to join me in this campaign to enshrine probity, accountability and the basic principles of justice, morality, and uprightness in our country and in our government. This is a task for every one of us,” he said at the event.
