Why I withdrew suit seeking Tinubu’s academic records in US court – Atiku

• Atiku said he withdrew the suit because he did not want to abuse court processes
• He also said the withdrawal was not unconnected to the fact that the matter is already a subject of litigation at a higher court

Former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has revealed why he withdrew a suit filed against President Bola Tinubu at a court in United States.

Within Nigeria had reported on Sunday that the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County struck out Atiku’s suit seeking disclosure of confidential educational records of Tinubu at Chicago State University without prejudice.

Tinubu claimed that he holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Chicago State University.

In January, Beverly Poindexter, the staff in charge of transcript requests, enrolment and degree verification, confirmed that the president attended the university between 1977 and 1979.

But Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February presidential election, alleged that Tinubu’s academic records were forged, and then file a suit against him.

However, the former vice-president withdrew the suit from a US court, which led to the case being dismissed.

In a statement on Sunday, Atiku’s aide, Phrank Shaibu, said Abubakar decided to withdraw the suit because he did not want to abuse court processes

He also said the withdrawal was not unconnected to the fact that the matter is already a subject of litigation at a higher court.

Shaibu said it’s quite worrisome that Tinubu has no known classmates or contemporaries who could vouch for his attendance of the schools he claimed to have attended.

“Waziri Atiku Abubakar only withdrew the case before a Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County, United States of America because he is pursuing the same matter in a higher court and he wanted to avoid an abuse of court processes,” he said.

“So, this is just the beginning. In the last one week, Nigerians have been watching the ongoing ministerial screening at the senate where nominees have been made to reveal their primary, secondary and university history.

“Some of the ministerial nominees were even classmates with the senators screening them.

“However, the man who nominated them has no educational history. He has no primary school, secondary school or university classmates. This is because he has no classmates. He actually fell from the sky.

“In recent years past presidents have invited their former classmates to Aso Rock Villa. Even President Muhammadu Buhari hosted his classmates from Katsina Middle School.

“But who did Bola Tinubu invite to the presidential villa? Governors from 1999 set. This is a man whose entire life, background and credentials remain unknown and Atiku will ensure that the man is exposed.

“It is expected that the person to hold the office of the president must be above board, especially on his life history.

“Unfortunately, here we have a president whose history is shrouded in secrecy and for whom it is as though life started in 1993.”