The media aide to the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Paul Ibe and a PDP youth leader, Timothy Osadolor, on Thursday, tackled the All Progressives Congress over President Bola Tinubu’s academic records.
Ibe accused the party of ‘’abandoning the President’’ in the ongoing case filed by Atiku in a United States court.
The PDP flagbearer had requested court approval to subpoena Tinubu’s files domiciled with the Chicago State University because he believed the documents would clarify alleged inconsistencies in his background, including documents that suggested the CSU in the 1970s admitted a female student bearing Bola Tinubu who was born on March 29, 1954.
Tinubu had claimed that a clerical error was responsible for discrepancies on the certificate issued to him by the university.
According to filings by Oluwole Afolabi and Christopher Carmichael, Tinubu’s lawyers, an unidentified clerk of the university made the error about the date the school stated on his recently-issued certificate, thereby creating “the appearance of differences.”
The claim is in response to the suit filed by Atiku seeking the disclosure of Tinubu’s academic records from the university.
The court had given Tinubu until August 23 to make a formal filing on why his records should not be released to the former vice president.
The President claimed that he holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the CSU, but his opponent in the 2023 presidential election alleged that Tinubu’s academic records were forged.
According to Peoples Gazette, the President’s statement was filed on August 23 by his counsel as part of his argument before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago.
Judge Jeffrey Gilbert had given the former Lagos State governor until August 23 to explain why his academic records at CSU should not be released to his political opponent.
But commenting on the case, the Director of Publicity for the APC, Bala Ibrahim disclosed that the ruling party had no problem with the PDP candidate’s quest if he followed the due process.
He said, “If Chicago State University says Atiku has to go to court, I don’t know what their law says about that. But in Nigeria, I know the law gives freedom of information and gives people the right to seek information, especially the one that ought to be in the public domain. I don’t know the situation in the US and what is legally correct about it.
“But Atiku has the right to ask for information pertaining to his opponent, provided he does not go through it the wrong way. What is the wrong way can best be answered by those who are conversant with the law.”
However, in an interview with The PUNCH, Ibe said the position of the APC showed that it has abandoned Tinubu “Owing to the litany of controversies surrounding him.”
Ibe said, “We are not surprised that the party said they cannot have issues with us. This is an indication that they have abandoned him. We are talking of a man whose identity is enmeshed in controversy. But the truth is, who won’t be tired?
“Everything about the man is shrouded in controversy. He claimed that he attended Government College, Ibadan but he never stepped foot in that school. The primary school Tinubu claimed he attended is non-existent.
“Now, he is saying that the 156-year-old Chicago State University made a clerical error in his academic records. If you are carrying a certificate with an error, that certificate is fake. So, he is admitting that he is carrying a fake certificate.”
He further added that Tinubu’s claim that he lost some of his certificates to Gen Sani Abacha’s onslaught on democratic elements is untenable.
Also speaking, Atiku’s loyalist and a member of the PDP’s National Executive Committee, Osadolor said the APC director of publicity should be commended for his position.
“He knows the truth but doesn’t want to be quoted. Their principal’s academic records are shrouded in mystery and he knows the truth. But because it is not convenient for him to stay on the side of the truth, he chose to say he won’t join issues with Atiku” he said.
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