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Letters From Chicago University Are Conflicting – Supreme Court
According to the Supreme Court, President Bola Tinubu’s certificate contains conflicting letters from Chicago State University (CSU).
Speaking at the hearing of the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar’s appeal this morning, Justice John Okoro, the Chairman of the 7-member panel, mentioned that the court is dealing with two conflicting letters.
Remember that on September 6, 2023, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal dismissed Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party’s appeals. Both men made their way to the Supreme Court, with Atiku requesting additional evidence against Tinubu for alleged forgery. Atiku had requested Tinubu’s academic record from Chicago State University in order to substantiate his claim that the president had submitted forged documents to INEC.
However, by the time the documents were released, the 180-day statutory period for filing and determining an election petition had passed. Given the nature of the issue, Atiku asked the court to grant his appeal to present new evidence. Tinubu objected, claiming that doing so would be an abuse of the legal system. Atiku based his petition on the premise that presenting forged documents by any candidate, especially one seeking the highest office in the land, is a serious constitutional violation that should not be encouraged.
President Tinubu, on the other hand, argued that the matter was a pre-election matter, among other things, and subsequently prayed the court to deny the application.
While criticizing Tinubu, Atiku argued that merit issues should not be decided or ruled on at the interlocutory stage. Atiku also stated that presenting a forged certificate disqualifies a candidate for all time, regardless of when it is presented.
Justice Okoro stated that criminal matters must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, during the appeal hearing this morning.
“But in this case, there are two conflicting letters from the CSU – one authenticating the president’s certificate and another discrediting it. Which do we rely on?” he asked.
