Tinubu to supreme court: CSU records alien to Atiku’s appeal, reject them

President Bola Tinubu has asked the supreme court to reject the application by Atiku Abubakar seeking to introduce fresh evidence in his appeal.

Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections, is challenging Tinubu’s victory at the February poll and the verdict of the election tribunal upholding the outcome of the vote.

Abubakar had alleged that Tinubu’s academic records were fraught with discrepancies and forgeries.

His request for the US court for the northern district of Illinois to compel Chicago State University (CSU) to release Tinubu’s academic records has since been granted.

The PDP candidate is now seeking to introduce these records at the apex court.

However, in a response to the main appeal, Tinubu said the allegation of certificate forgery was not introduced in Abubakar’s petition at the tribunal.

He said the tribunal was right to strike out some paragraphs of the petitioners’ replies wherein they tried to introduce new issues (including that of certificate forgery) which were not contained in the main petition.

Tinubu said Abubakar’s application which was granted at the US court is “alien” to the pending appeal before the supreme court.

“Appellants’ submission under paragraph 6.45 of their brief further expose the entire attitude of the appellants before the lower court, that is, the attitude of first filing a petition and then fishing for evidence during the pendency of the petition and even up to the point of appeal to this honourable court,” the president said.

“Without prejudice to our objection to this issue, we submit that the arguments regarding a purported ‘Case No. 1:23-CV05009-th Re Application of Atiku for an Order Directing Discovery from Chicago State University…’ is alien to this proceedings, does not arise from the record or the judgment of the lower court and cannot be countenanced by this honourable court and we urge the court to so hold.

“In the final analysis, it is our humble prayer that this honourable court resolves this issue in favour of the respondents and against the appellants.”

The president added that the entire appeal lacks merit and should be dismissed.