TheCable

Phrank Shaibu, aide to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on communications, and Babatunde Ogala, coordinator of Tinubu Presidential Legal Team (TPLT), have traded words over a US court order.

Over the weekend, the US district court for the northern district of Illinois, ordered the Chicago State University (CSU) to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu.

Abubakar had approached the court seeking to compel the university to release Tinubu’s records on the grounds that the documents would strengthen his suit challenging the president’s electoral victory.

On September 19, Jeffrey Gilbert, a US magistrate judge, granted the request and ordered CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records within 24 hours.

However, the president moved to block it by filing an appeal against the order.

Nancy Maldonado, a federal judge, overruled Tinubu’s objections and ordered CSU to release the president’s academic records.

Responding to the verdict, Ogala said the documents from CSU have no value at the supreme court because “we have passed that stage”.

“The documents can no longer be used. It is of no value,” the lawyer who is a former national legal adviser to the All Progressives Congress (APC) said.

“One is whether President Tinubu attended Chicago State University. The answer is yes. Second, what were his grades in school? The school had already provided that.”

Shaibu wondered why Tinubu moved to block the release of his academic records if Ogala claims that it is meaningless.

“Ogala claimed that the victory was meaningless. So, why did his principal try to block the release of his credentials if he had nothing to hide? Why did he also appeal the initial judgment?” he said.

“The Bible says only the wicked run when no one chases them.

“Why has Tinubu been blocking the release of his academic records for nearly 30 years?”