Chicago State University has confirmed that the replacement certificate presented by President Bola Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission in 1992 is genuine and matches the format of other certificates issued by the university.
PMNews reported that the university made this disclosure in response to a court order by Judge Nancy Maldonado, who is presiding over a lawsuit filed by the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, challenging Tinubu’s eligibility to run for president in 2023.
Atiku had alleged that Tinubu did not attend CSU and that he forged his certificate. He had requested the university to produce copies of any diplomas issued by CSU that contain the same font, seal, signatures and wording as Tinubu’s replacement certificate, which purports to be a CSU diploma issued to him on or about June 22, 1979.
The university said it had conducted a diligent search of its archives and found at least three certificates that matched Tinubu’s replacement certificate, which was dated June 27, 1997. The university said it had redacted the names of the other students on the certificates for privacy reasons.
The university also said it did not keep copies of student diplomas in the ordinary course and could not locate a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Tinubu in 1979.
The university’s counsel, Michael D. Hayes, said the documents had been certified by Jamar C Orr, as requested by Atiku. He also said the university’s objection to Atiku’s request for communications concerning the certification of the documents had been sustained by the court.
The university’s response has dealt a blow to Atiku’s attempt to discredit Tinubu’s academic credentials and cast doubt on his qualification for the presidency.
Atiku in his Request No. 3 wanted, “True and correct copies of any diplomas issued by CSU (other than to Mr. Tinubu) that contain the same font, seal, signatures, and wording (other than the name of the recipient and the specific degree awarded) as Contained in Exhibit C to the First Liu Declaration, which purports to be a CSU diploma issued to Mr. Tinubu on or about June 22, 1979”.
The school responded, “The documents responsive to this request which CSU, after diligent search, has been able to locate are produced herewith and Bates labelled CSU 0008 through CSU 0010.
“The students’ names on these diplomas have been redacted for privacy
reasons.
“CSU is also producing, Bates labelled as CSU 0011 and CSU 0012, diplomas prepared for other CSU students (with their names redacted for privacy) which match the format of the Tinubu replacement diploma dated June 27, 1997.”
On Atiku’s request that the school should produce a copy of Tinubu’s certificate issued in 1979, the school maintained its position that it does not keep copies of students diplomas, talk less of the one issued in 1979.
“CSU does not in the ordinary course keep copies of student diplomas, and after diligent search cannot locate a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Mr. Tinubu in 1979, hence has no documents responsive to this request”, deposed Michael D. Hayes, counsel to the school.
Hayes also said as requested by Atiku, Jamar C Orr has certified all the documents.
Atiku’s request: “True and correct copies of any CSU documents relating to Mr. Tinubu that were certified by Jamar C. Orr, Esq., including without limitation, the documents in Exhibit D to the Uwais Declaration, and all Communications to or from CSU concerning the certification of such documents by Jamar C. Orr, Esq., during the period August 1, 2022 to August 1, 2023”.
Hayes said, “The responsive documents certified by Mr. Orr are produced herewith and Bates labelled CSU 0013 through CSU 0032. CSU’s prior objection to the Communications aspect of this request was sustained by the Court (see Doc. 40 at pp. 28 -29 and Doc. 54 at p. 32), hence no documents responsive to that subject are being produced”.
