Justice Nancy Maldonado has ordered the Chicago State University to release President Tinubu’s records to Atiku Abubakar.
This judgement upheld a previous ruling from Magistrate Judge, Jeffrey Gilbert who also ruled that the university should release Tinubu’s records.
According to the information released by the District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, U.S., on Saturday, September 30, Justice Maldonado made the ruling that explains that the appeal to stop the documents by Tinubu, has failed.
On Monday, 2 October, the Chicago State University (CSU) will make progress to release relevant non-privileged documents and the deposition will take place the following day, 3rd October.
In the 33 page ruling, Justice Maldonado stated:
“The court overrules President Tinubu’s objections to Magistrate Judge Gilbert’s recommended ruling and therefore adopts the ruling in full.
“Mr Abubakar’s application is therefore granted.
“In light of the pending Supreme Court of Nigeria deadline, represented to the court as October 5, 2023 and based on CSU’s representations that it is ready to comply with the discovery requests and produce a witness, the court sets an expedited schedule for completion of discovery.
“Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in response to requests for Production Nos-1 through 4( as narrowed by Judge Gilbert and adopted here) in Mr. Abubakar’s subpoena by 12.00p.m(noon) CDT on Monday October 2, 2023. The Rule 30(b)( 6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designeee must be completed by 5.00pm CDT on Tuesday October 3, 2023.
“Given the October 5, 2023 filing deadline before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the court will not extend or modify these deadlines.”
The CSU can’t authenticate the certificate without having its original copy. So, Atiku’s wish to get an authenticated certificate of Tinubu’s diploma will not be part of the documents which the CSU will release to him.
According to CSU, diplomas certificates are ceremonial, and they don’t retain copies of certificates of any student, not even that of Mr. Tinubu.
The chief documents which the CSU would produce, are only those that have been certified by Jamar Orr and are already in the public domain which was offered at the Nigerian Tribunal on July 6th.
President Tinubu’s admission letter to the school and his transcripts are among these documents.
In addition, an oral deposition will be done on Tuesday, by Jamar Orr who will also swear an oath of confirmation that those documents which were submitted at the Tribunal were certified by him.
