Atiku to File Fresh Evidence in Challenge Against Tinubu’s Presidency

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seeks to present new evidence to the Supreme Court, alleging that President Bola Tinubu submitted forged documents to INEC.

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In a determined effort to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s qualification for the presidency, former Vice President and presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has made an application to the Supreme Court to introduce fresh evidence.

Atiku contends that this new evidence will substantiate his allegations that President Tinubu, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), submitted forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in order to qualify for the presidential election held on February 25.

The evidence sought by Atiku is related to President Tinubu’s academic records, which he claims were provided to him by the Chicago State University on October 2, 2023. These 32 pages of documents were released by the Chicago State University under the orders of Judge Nancy Maldonado of the District Court of Illinois, Eastern Division, United States of America.

Atiku’s motion for leave to present fresh evidence against President Tinubu is based on various legal provisions, including Order 2, Rule 12(1) of the Supreme Court Rules 1985, Section 137(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and the inherent jurisdiction of the Supreme Court outlined in Section 6(6)(a) of the 1999 Constitution.

While the application is dated October 5, Atiku’s legal team completed the filing process on Friday night. Atiku is seeking the Supreme Court’s permission to introduce the certified discovery deposition made by Caleb Westberg on behalf of Chicago State University on October 3, 2023. This deposition disclaims the certificate presented by President Tinubu to INEC.

Atiku has argued that this evidence is crucial to the case as it confirms that the certificate submitted by President Tinubu to INEC did not originate from Chicago State University. He maintains that President Tinubu’s actions constitute both forgery and perjury, warranting his removal from office by the Supreme Court.

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The former Vice President’s application for fresh evidence is rooted in several key grounds, including the belief that the evidence would significantly impact the case’s outcome. Atiku’s legal team contends that this evidence could not have been obtained with reasonable diligence before the trial, as it required initiating legal proceedings in the United States. Additionally, they argue that the evidence is credible and believable.

This legal move by Atiku reflects the gravity of the constitutional issue at hand—whether a presidential candidate presented forged documents to INEC, a matter of utmost importance to the nation.

The Supreme Court is yet to schedule a date for the hearing of Atiku’s motion. This development adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battle over President Tinubu’s presidency, leaving many eager to see how the Supreme Court will proceed in this high-stakes case.