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October 5, 2023
Though Atiku’s case had been dismissed at the Presidential Election Tribunal Court, the PDP candidate is hoping to use the case of the forged certificate as a strong argument against Tinubu in his appeal to the Supreme Court.
Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday, thanked the late legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) for inspiring him to dig into President Bola Tinubu’s past.
The former Vice President lost to Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.
Atiku said this at a world press conference in Abuja, two days after his lawyers through a United States court obtained the academic records of Tinubu from the Chicago State University (CSU) which showed discrepancies with what the sitting Nigerian president submitted to the INEC before the February election.
Also, the Registrar of CSU, Caleb Westberg, on Tuesday, said that the diploma Bola Tinubu submitted to Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was not issued by the school.
Westberg, in his deposition on Tuesday, said CSU did not issue the diploma to Tinubu in 1979.
Though Atiku’s case had been dismissed at the Presidential Election Tribunal Court, the PDP candidate is hoping to use the case of the forged certificate as a strong argument against Tinubu in his appeal to the Supreme Court.
Speaking at the conference, Atiku said, “I wish to pay tribute to the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, who inspired us on this path of discovery. Now, he can truly rest in peace in the assurance that what he started about 23 years ago has come to fruition. Gani’s vindication today gives credence to the saying that no matter how fast a lie runs, the truth will someday overtake it.
“Former American President Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘If I had to choose between government without newspapers, and newspapers without government, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose the latter.’ From exposing the Watergate scandal and unravelling the dubious certificates of politicians, journalists have maintained eternal vigilance by bridging the gap and stepping in when other arms of government failed.
“It is for these reasons that commendation must be given to David Hundeyin, an independent journalist whose extraordinary work and those of many more young people like him has become a source of inspiration.
“Special thanks must be given to the millions of Nigerian youths and citizen journalists too who continue to put out the truth online even when no one is listening. Indeed, the price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance. They have put the country first in their firm commitment to unravel the truth and hold leaders accountable. This gives me the hope that we have worthy partners in the struggle to reclaim the country we call home.”
On October 7, 1999, Fawehinmi (SAN) filed an order at the Federal High Court, Lagos to compel security operatives to investigate criminal allegations against the then-governor of Lagos State, Tinubu.
Tinubu had claimed that he lost his certificates in his filings with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1999 and 2003 when he ran for governor of Lagos State.
He however stated in 1999 that he attended St. Paul Children’s Home School, Ibadan, from 1958 to 1964 and Government College, Ibadan (GCI) from 1965 to 1968 before proceeding to Richard Daley College, Chicago, from 1969 to 1971 and Chicago State University.
Fawehinmi in the court documents had filed an order of mandamus praying the court to compel security operatives to investigate the allegations against Tinubu who had earlier been cleared by the Lagos House of Assembly.
“AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS compelling the respondents whether, by themselves, their agents, servants, privies or otherwise however to investigate the applicant’s complaint of false statements on oath and false declarations made under oath by Mr Bola Tinubu as contained in the two documents, that is: Independent National Electoral Commission Form CF001 declared and verified under Oath by Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu (now Governor of Lagos State) before the Commissioner for Oaths at the High Court Registry, Ikeja on December 28, 1998,” the court document had read.
“And Affidavit entitled; Affidavit in respect of Lost Certificates sworn to by Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu (now Governor of Lagos State) before the Commissioner for Oath at the High Court Registry, Ikeja on December 29, 1998.”
The Federal High Court in its judgement however ruled that Tinubu as then sitting governor could not be tried as he enjoyed immunity from prosecution. The Appeal Court also upheld the judgement of the lower court.
The late legal luminary then headed to the Supreme Court and the apex court ruled that though Tinubu enjoyed immunity from prosecution, he could be investigated by the police over the allegation and tried after his tenure.
However, the police did not take any action on the matter.