Efforts by the Nigeria’s former Vice President and the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to subpoena Chicago State University, to testify at the Presidential Election Tribunal, has hit brick-wall, as a Court in the United States America (USA), dismissed his application.
The court, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County, United States, dismissed the lawsuit filed by Atiku to get access to President Bola Tinubu’s confidential educational records at Chicago State University.
Atiku had filed the suit without due process. But sensing defeat, he quickly withdrew the case.
According to the Circuit Court papers, Justice Patrick J. Heneghan dismissed the case without prejudice.
In the judgment of July 31, 2023, the judge held that the “petitioner’s subpoena in this case is withdrawn, and thus Chicago State University will not be deposed pursuant to the subpoena in this case.”
Ruling on the matter, Justice Heneghan said “the case is dismissed without prejudice and resolves all matters pending before the court.”
Atiku and his supporters often erroneously claim that President Tinubu did not attend Chicago State University in a bid to stain his character and reputation.
A leading Chicago State official has again confirmed that the President Tinubu, is a long time and distinguished alumnus of the University.
In an affidavit, the Registrar of Chicago State University, Caleb Westberg, deposed that “Bola Ahmed Tinubu graduated and was awarded a degree by Chicago State University on June 22, 1979.
Reacting to the dismissed case, a political commentator said: “Whether it is in the United States or in Nigeria, whether it is Donald Trump or Atiku Abubakar, election losers should concede their defeat with grace and dignity and without abusing the rule of law.”
Source —The Nation
