Atiku’s Chicago Mission: Lawyer reveals how Supreme Court judgement may favour Tinubu

A lawyer, Barrister A.D. Rotimi George Esq., has revealed the possible fate of Atiku Abubakar, at the Supreme Court.

The legal luminary disclosed that if the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, failed to back his claims with strong evidence against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Supreme Court, he would receive shocking judgment.

In a chat with Legit.ng on Wednesday, October 18, Barrister Rotimi who is a member of the National Executive Council of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), and doubles as the NBA secretary, the Bukuru branch in Plateau state, revealed key details about Atiku's legal battle against Tinubu and his mission to the Chicago State University (CSU).

Recall that the CSU released the academic records of Tinubu to his political opponent, Atiku, in line with an order of a United States court.

Not satisfied with the CSU's move, Atiku urged the Supreme Court to allow him to submit the documents as fresh evidence to further support his claims that Tinubu forged the document he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 poll.

Reacting to the development, Barrister Rotimi explained thus:

"Following the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) in which the said Tribunal upheld the victory of the APC and its candidate (President Bola Ahmed Tinubu) as the winner of the February 25 Presidential election in Nigeria, it is only natural and legal for any aggrieved candidate(s) to exercise their constitutional right of appeal to the Supreme Court. In doing this, evidence capable of causing the Supreme Court to upturn the PEPT decision are sourced; particularly so when it has to do with the qualification of the candidate declared as the winner.

"Now in this case, Atiku ABUBAKAR is of belief that Bola Ahmed Tinubu was, before the presidential polls not qualified to contest the said elections in terms of educational qualifications and this explains the reason he had to go to CSU in search of Tinubu’s academic qualifications."

Barrister Rotimi disclosed further that the court would determine if truly Atiku has been able to back his claims against Tinubu following his findings from the Chicago State University.

He noted that the court's decision would override all doubts arising from the case challenging Tinubu's election victory.

"Well, I am not in a position to adjudge the import of his mission to CSU. At the end of the day, only the decision of the apex court can breathe life into such an odyssey," Barrister Rotimi stated.

Going forward, the legal luminary advised the aggrieved parties, Atiku and Peter Obo of the Labour Party (LP) to apply caution in their quest to discover the real truth regarding the outcome of the 2023 election which favored the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, the claims that Tinubu forged his certificates were false because it is only a narrative being pushed online that was further backed by people's imaginations and may eventually be disposed of to the surprise of Atiku and the PDP by the Supreme Court.

Barrister Rotimi opined thus:

"Well, for me his findings are quite fundamental. However, caution should be exercised particularly with the press conference and social media hullabaloo. This is because Atiku’s case/concern as I understand it is that Bola Ahmed Tinubu forged his educational qualifications to contest elections; particularly those of the CSU. However, to my mind; I would say that there is even no forgery and People are just being led by the social media narratives, or let me say that they are flowing with the tidal waves of social media and they may end up being dumped in the deep sea by the tide they are following.

"From a legal perspective; the CSU contracted licensing Agent or 3rd party are the only person who can even say whether the certificate submitted by PBAT to INEC was issued by that third party agent or not.

"The third-party Agent has not said anything to that effect, yet people are gloating and forming personal opinion that the said certificate is fake. Where is the evidence proving this? From the report I have gathered, CSU has only said that since they are not the ones who issued the said certificate because the institution contracted it out to a 3rd party, that it is only that 3rd party that can confirm its genuineness or its falsity. Now getting that 3rd party/agent to pronounce on the genuineness or falsity of the PBAT certificate is very vital and until that is done, Atiku and his crew may receive the shocker of their life at the Supreme Court."