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Chicago varsity document showing I was female not my fault – Tinubu to U.S. court

Published

8 months ago

September 12, 2023

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Chicago varsity document showing I was female not my fault – Tinubu to U.S. court

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged a federal judge in the United States to ignore records suggesting the person admitted into Chicago State University in the 1970s was a female.

In a September 11 filing before Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Tinubh said his Nigerian political rival Atiku Abubakar was trying to sandbag him in the ongoing case over academic documents.

One of Tinubu’s lawyers in the case, Christopher Carmichael, entered the argument on the Nigerian president’s behalf.

“It is established beyond peradventure that it is improper to sandbag one’s opponent by raising new matter in reply,” Tinubu said.

Ahead of today’s hearing, Justice Gilbert had recommended that all parties appear before the court on Tuesday afternoon amid strong indications a ruling was imminent in the matter.

According to Tinubu’s lawyers, controversies in the Southwest College record generated around Tinubu’s identity was a conspiracy theory and not the fault of the Nigerian leader.

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“The quoted and referenced portion of the Nigerian court filing parrots conspiracy theories about President Tinubu, including that the degree from Chicago State University really belongs to a female named Bola Tinubu,” Tinubu’s lawyers said. “That conspiracy theory is not an asserted basis for discovery.”

But Peoples Gazette reports that Atiku’s lawyers, led by Angela Liu, quickly filed a response to let the judge know that the argument Tinubu’s lawyers were making should be ignored and the hearing should be allowed to proceed as scheduled.

Although Abubakar disputes the assertions made by Tinubu in his Motion for Leave and accompanying sur-response, Abubakar consents to Tinubu’s submission of the sur-response and its accompanying exhibit, Dkt. 27-1, on the assumption that the Court will allow his counsel to respond to the arguments and assertions made therein at the hearing before the Court scheduled for tomorrow (September 12, 2023),” the lawyers said.

Recall that Atiku is asking the US court to grant enough subpoenas to compel records and depositions from CSU amid controversy about Tinubu’s admission and graduation.

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The school has continued to present contradictory documents that often throw up more questions than previously conceived.

For instance, at least two certificates issued by the school in Tinubu’s name are in the public domain. One was given directly to Tinubu, while the other was given to a Nigerian lawyer who obtained a subpoena for the records last year. The one given to Tinubu said he graduated on June 22, 1979, having been admitted in 1977, while the one issued to the Nigerian lawyer, Mike Enahoro-Ebah, carried June 27, 1979.

Still, additional records of admission submitted by CSU under the 2022 subpoena showed that a certain Bola Tinubu, who was admitted to CSU also in the same 1977, presented a Southwest College result belonging to a female.

Furthermore, Elnora Daniel, the CSU president who purportedly signed the 2022 certificate for Tinubu, only joined the school in 1998, or 19 years after Tinubu was said to have graduated. She left in 2008 following a financial mismanagement scandal, or 14 years before she purportedly signed the certificate as the school’s current president.

Chicago varsity document showing I was female not my fault – Tinubu to U.S. court

Related Topics:Atiku Chicago varsity Featured Tinubu

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Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General raises alarm over threats to his life

Published

11 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Trends Admin

Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu

Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General raises alarm over threats to his life

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed concern over threats to his life by individuals he described as anti-Igbo. He revealed that there have been plans to either kill him or burn his house due to his leadership of Ndigbo.

Addressing a press conference in Enugu, Iwuanyanwu highlighted the dangers he faced, mentioning the death of his predecessor, Prof George Obiozor, and an attempt on another ex-leader’s life. He recounted receiving information about people hired to attack him but assured that he remained undeterred in his commitment to serving his people.

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Iwuanyanwu lamented being confronted by such threats despite his efforts to serve his people, citing his extensive career and scholarship schemes that benefited thousands of youths. He recalled the fate of late Prof. Joe Irukwu, who faced similar accusations of working against the interest of Igboland.

Despite the challenges, Iwuanyanwu reaffirmed his determination to serve Ndigbo and vowed not to yield to intimidation.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General raises alarm over threats to his life

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Rivers crisis festers as new factional Speaker emerges

Published

12 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Trends Admin

Goodboy Sokari

Rivers crisis festers as new factional Speaker emerges

A new speaker has emerged in Rivers State Wednesday May 8, 2024, to signal the much-awaited showdown in state’s deteriorating political crisis which seems to be here.

Already, hidden cards or fists are appearing every hour to show that both the Nyesom Wike camp and the Governor Siminalayi Fubara camp have been preparing for it.

The Wike camp through the Rivers State caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Tony Okocha yesterday gave go-ahead for impeachment action against the governor. The one they one the 27 defected lawmakers loyal to Wike initiated on October 30, 2023, failed when Gov Fubara fought back until a temporary ceasefire was achieved in Aso Rock with an 8-point agreement signed by both parties but largely observed in breach.

Now, it seems both camps have rearmed and may be ready for the final showdown that may make Rivers State tense in the coming days, to say the least.

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The APC has directed that impeachment begin immediately; the next day, the Fubara camp announced their own Speaker, Victor Oko Jumbo from Bonny; same day, hints emerge that screening of LGA caretaker committee members may be going on.

On the other hand, the local councils have staged protests saying their monthly allocations have been withheld. Pressure is thus mounting from that angle covering the 23 local council areas.

The purported screening may lead to appointment of caretaker committees of the 23 LGAs in the state who would get the monthly allocations and hit the ground running.

This action would provoke what the Wike-backed APC group said they would resist. They may begin their own action in the form of impeachment proceedings which the Fubara camp (Rivers State government) said they would resist.

These acts of resistance may plunge the state into violence and make it ungovernable. At that point, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has remained silent since the peace agreement, may unveil the sanctions he had threatened would descend on any person who breached the agreement. Each camp points to the other as the one breaching the agreements. Each clings to Tinubu as the favourite.

The battle seems timed to ensure that the one year anniversary is hindered.

Rivers crisis festers as new factional Speaker emerges

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Cybersecurity levy suspension tears lawmakers apart, speaker overrules

Published

12 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Trends Admin

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen

Cybersecurity levy suspension tears lawmakers apart, speaker overrules

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, intervened on Wednesday to halt a motion calling for the suspension of the controversial cybersecurity levy, which has sparked widespread dissatisfaction among Nigerians.

Since the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mandated all banks to deduct 0.5% of the value of electronic transactions from customers, Nigerians from various sectors have vehemently opposed the levy, labelling it an additional financial burden.

During Wednesday’s plenary session, Manu Soro, a lawmaker from Bauchi State, presented the motion, citing concerns about the timing of the levy’s introduction amidst Nigeria’s prevailing economic challenges.

Soro argued that imposing new taxes or increasing existing ones amid the current economic difficulties exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies and currency depreciation would only add to citizens’ financial woes.

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He called on the House to urge the CBN to retract the circular on the cybersecurity levy and halt its implementation immediately. Additionally, he urged the Minister of Finance to refrain from introducing new taxes or raising existing rates until the economic situation improves significantly.

However, Speaker Abbas advised Soro to temporarily withdraw the motion to allow the House leadership to deliberate on the best course of action to address the issue.

In a related development, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) threatened to shut down the economy over the plan to implement the cybersecurity levy on electronic transactions. TUC’s president, Mr. Festus Osifo, criticized the levy as illogical, particularly given the current economic challenges faced by Nigerians. He warned that its implementation could worsen poverty and deepen the economic crisis in the country.