US court orders release of Tinubu’s academic records to Atiku

A United States District Court sitting in the Northern District of Illinois has ruled and ordered that Chicago State University should release President Bola Tinubu’s academic record to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, by Monday, October 2.

The presiding judge, Judge Nancy Maldonado, noted in her ruling on Sunday that CSU raised no objection to Judge Jeffery Gilbert’s decision that the academic record be made public.

The court further explained that any intrusion on Tinubu’s privacy interests in his educational records is outweighed by Atiku’s interest in the sought-after discovery.

The Jugde overruled Tinubu’s objections to Gilbert’s recommended ruling and therefore adopted the ruling in full.

The memorandum opinion and order read in part, “Atiku’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 the completion of discovery. Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents.

“The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. 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.”

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