An order forcing Chicago State University (CSU) to make President Bola Tinubu’s academic records public within two days has been agreed to be postponed by the Northern District of Illinois of the United States Court.
The university was given 48 hours to send the papers in after US magistrate judge Jeffrey Gilbert granted Atiku Abubakar’s request for their release.
Gilbert’s directive called for CSU to deliver the papers by the end of Thursday.
Nancy Maldonado, a US district judge, did, however, consent to extending the deadline during an urgent hearing on Thursday.
Maldonado requested that additional arguments be submitted by next Thursday from both parties’ attorneys.
A district court needed to reconsider Gilbert’s ruling, according to Tinubu’s legal team. Maldonado complied with the request.
Mindful of legal deadlines in Nigeria, Maldonado admitted that she “will have a busy weekend”.
“The issue is of process and rules. I’m a rule person; that’s why I’m a judge. This case is quite involved. I am aware of the stakes. It’s more important to me to get this right,” she said.
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In case you forgot, Atiku Abubakar has requested a court order requiring CSU to release the information.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, and management from CSU, according to Tinubu’s qualifications, in 1979.
There have been claims regarding Tinubu’s certificate, meanwhile, that almost seem to be discrepancies.
Abubakar requested that Tinubu’s files housed at CSU be subpoenaed in the lawsuit he filed with the US district court.
According to Abubakar, the documents will put an end to the debate about Tinubu’s educational history.
In response to the request for the publication of his academic records, the president, via his attorney, submitted a counterapplication.
Due to the need for his personal information, Tinubu had also requested to join the lawsuit.
“Mr. Tinubu should be allowed to join or intervene because he has a direct personal interest in records sought, his interests are not fully represented or protected by Respondent Chicago State University, and his interests will be affected if he is not permitted to join or intervene,” the motion filed by Christopher Carmichael, Tinubu’s lawyer, reads.
Abubakar has appealed the tribunal’s decision confirming Tinubu’s election to the supreme court.
From the day the tribunal’s decision was rendered, a petition must be filed with the highest court within 14 days. indicating that on September 20 the deadline passed.
The university wants clarification and is prepared to disclose the requested papers as soon as the legal issues are resolved, according to CSU attorney Michael Hayes, who spoke at the hearing on Thursday.
“We don’t have a dog in this fight,” Hayes said.
Hayes added that the university has amassed significant legal fees and unwarranted bad publicity “because of the political fight in a foreign land”.