Metro

Atiku files motion for US court to overrule President Tinubu’s objection to release of CSU records

Published

7 months ago

September 29, 2023

The battle for the disputed presidential election in Nigeria has taken a new dimension after the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, filed a fresh motion urging a United States Court to overrule President Bola Tinubu’s request to stop Chicago State University (CSU) from releasing his academic records to him.

Atiku’s fresh motion, which was filed on Thursday, is a counter to an earlier order secured by Tinubu from a US district judge stopping CSU from releasing what the President’s legal team termed as “privileged documents” following Judge Jeffrey Gilbert order that the institution should provide all relevant and non-privileged documents to Atiku’s legal team within two days.

Atiku, who is currently challenging Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election, is seeking the release of privileged and non-privileged records of Tinubu’s admission and acceptance at the Chicago State University, dates of attendance, as well the degrees, awards, and honours obtained by the president from CSU.

However, as the deadline given by Gilbert drew to a close, Tinubu’s lawyers approached the US High Court to file a motion stopping the release of the documents with the argument that the earlier decision by the magistrate needed to be reviewed by a district judge.

The request for a review and delay of the magistrate’s order was eventually granted by the court.

Tinubu’s application was based on two reasons. The first being that his academic records are not useful in Nigerian courts as claimed by Atiku because, according to his lawyers, “the Nigerian election proceedings and the Nigerian courts have explicitly been unreceptive to the discovery.”

The second ground argued
that Atiku’s request was “unduly intrusive because it allows the applicant to conduct a fishing expedition into the intervenor’s private, confidential, and protected educational records.”

In the fresh response filed by the former vice president in Chicago, Illinois, Atiku, however, urged the court to overrule Tinubu’s request in its entirety.

“If the court overrules the objections, the applicant respectfully requests that it enter an order requiring production of documents no later than October 2, 2023, and the deposition scheduled no later than October 3, to allow time for transcripts to be finalised,” Atiku said in the motion.

“The discovery obtained to be sent to Nigeria (which is six hours ahead) by October 4, so that such evidence may, in turn, be filed with the Supreme Court by October 5, which is when applicant’s Nigerian counsel intend to submit any new evidence to the Supreme Court,” he added.

The former vice president also declared that his goal was to test the authenticity and origin of 12 pages of documents, including two very different diplomas, purported to have been issued by CSU, maintaining that there were discrepancies between the information in the CSU documents and the information in the affidavit Tinubu submitted to INEC.

“If, as the intervenor asserts, he graduated from CSU in 1979 and the CSU documents are authentic copies issued, there is no reason why he should oppose the limited discovery the applicant seeks.”

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Metro

Mapanza traditional council shares positive outlook on media rights, freedom of expression

Published

19 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Jonathan Muchindu, a representative of the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom in Choma District, Southern Province, Zambia, asserts that the media in Zambia currently enjoys “total” freedom of expression.

Muchindu attributed this position to the advancement of civilization, which he identified as a significant factor in ensuring media freedom.

He emphasized the role of the media in providing citizens with the necessary information to make informed decisions.

In an exclusive interview with Zambia Monitor in Choma, Muchindu, who also serves as the Director of the Zambia Corruption Prevention Watchdog, described the media and its content as essential elements akin to “food on the table.”

“We are truly privileged to witness the advancements in civilization. Previously, the media was confined to the hands of a few individuals, and its reach was limited.

“However, with the advent of technology, accessing news through various platforms such as radio and television has become commonplace.

“The media has evolved into an indispensable source of information, and its participation is now integral to our daily lives,” he remarked.

When questioned about the operational landscape of the media, Muchindu expressed confidence that no media entity currently faces undue interference or censorship.

“From our perspective, both in rural villages and urban centers, we have not encountered instances where journalists or media outlets have been subjected to harassment or undue influence.

“This collaborative effort had ushered in a sense of enlightenment among the populace, allowing for open discourse on governance matters, particularly in the realm of politics.

“The media enjoyed the same freedoms as ordinary citizens, and there is unequivocal liberty in its expression,” Muchindu concluded.

The declaration by the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom underscored a positive outlook on media freedom in Zambia and reaffirmed the critical role of the media in fostering informed public discourse.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

Nigeria loses N1.29trn annually to crude oil theft, vandalism— Reps Speaker

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has revealed that the country loses a whopping sum of N1.29 trillion to crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other forms of criminality in the oil sector.

Tajudeen, who spoke at the commissioning of the Nigerian Navy Training Command at Eleme, Rivers State in South-South Nigeria on Friday, said about 300,000 barrels of crude oil were also lost per day to oil theft by bunkerers.

Tajudeen who was represented at the event by the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson, stated that the crude oil theft and pipeline vandalization has continued to pose a challenge to the Nigerian Navy which has hindered the service from rising up to its mandate of contributing to the survival of the national economy.

“Unfortunately, it is estimated that Nigeria loses over 300,000 barrels of crude oil daily to oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other forms of criminality. This has led to revenue losses estimated at N1.29 trillion annually,” the Lower Chamber Speaker said.

Speaking further on steps taken to curb the menace, Abbas said:

“Concerned about the adverse effects of oil theft in Nigeria, I inaugurated a special committee on Crude Oil Theft Loses on November 22, 2023, to determine decisive remedial actions to be taken.

“I commend the Nigerian Navy on the steps taken so far, and I urge the Navy to sustain the momentum.”

Also speaking, Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, thanked the Rivers State Government for the donation of the entire complex to demonstrate the existing cordial relationship between the Nigerian Navy and Rivers State.

Ogalla said the relocation of the Headquarters Naval Training Command from Lagos to Ebubu-Eleme in Rivers State would bolster human capacity development of personnel of the Nigerian Navy.

“It will also assist in providing the enabling environment for learning and enable us to carry out the statutory manning of the entire state, and national security of our country.

“This is in line with Mr President’s mandate given to us to provide the enabling environment for the harnessing of the enormous economic potential inherent in our blue economy for the overall good, national prosperity and development.”

The Naval chief assured that the Nigerian Navy would continue to carry out operations to ensure security of the nation’s maritime domain as well as secure Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta region.