PDP presidential candidate, Atiku suffers setback in US court

VAM News Update

THE presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has suffered a legal blow in the United States where he had gone to seek information in his struggle for the seat of power.

His bid to subpoena the Chicago State University, United States ahead of the judgment of the Presidential Election Tribunal was rejected by a Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County, United States.

The court dismissed the lawsuit filed by the PDP candidate to get access to President Bola Tinubu’s confidential educational records at Chicago State University.

Tribunal reserves judgment in Atiku/Obi petitions
Atiku had filed the suit without due process. But sensing defeat, he quickly withdrew the case.

According to the Circuit Court papers, Justice Patrick J. Heneghan dismissed the case without prejudice.

In the judgment of July 31, 2023, the judge held that the “petitioner’s subpoena in this case is withdrawn, and thus Chicago State University will not be deposed pursuant to the subpoena in this case.”

Ruling on the matter, Justice Heneghan said “the case is dismissed without prejudice and resolves all matters pending before the court.”

Atiku and his supporters often erroneously claim that President Tinubu did not attend Chicago State University in a bid to stain his character and reputation.

A leading Chicago State official has again confirmed that the President is a long time and distinguished alumnus of the University.

In an affidavit, the Registrar of Chicago State University, Caleb Westberg, deposed that “Bola Ahmed Tinubu graduated and was awarded a degree by Chicago State University on June 22, 1979.

Reacting to the dismissed case, a political commentator said: “Whether it is in the United States or in Nigeria, whether it is Donald Trump or Atiku Abubakar, election losers should concede their defeat with grace and dignity and without abusing the rule of law.”