In a recent development, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the February presidential election, has presented academic records of President Bola Tinubu as new evidence in his appeal against the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court. Atiku argues that submitting a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission is a weighty constitutional matter that the Supreme Court must consider.

The former Vice-President, through his lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, reminded the apex court, “Presentation of a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission by a candidate for election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a weighty constitutional matter requiring consideration by the courts as custodians of the constitution.”

According to him, from cases already decided by the apex court, it could be seen that there is only one single requirement in this instance, which is the need to do justice fairly, equitably and justly.

The documents, comprising 32 pages of academic records, were provided by the Chicago State University in the United States, which had reportedly found the certificate Tinubu presented to INEC to be inauthentic. Atiku’s legal team asserts that this evidence is crucial to establish the alleged forgery and disqualify Tinubu from the presidential election.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has accused Atiku of “selling misinformation” and attempting to give “false hope” to his supporters. They claim that Atiku is trying to intimidate the judiciary by inciting the public against judges.

“What Atiku is doing is simply misinformation out of desperation. He is selling a lie to galvanize his base. He is giving false hope to his funders and supporters.

“We know that he got support from different entities from within and outside Nigeria for his election and he gave them false hope that he was winning the election,” Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, told Punch correspondent in a phone interview on Saturday.

Ajayi said by ignoring last Tuesday’s deposition by the Registrar of Chicago State University, Caleb Westberg, Abubakar is selling a false hope to his supporters who are still disappointed in him for losing the February polls.

“So he’s trying to give those people false hope that he has a chance at the courts. If not, how can he give a different meaning to a deposition to any educated person can understand?

“We’re in the age of alternative truth where people only want to believe the lies they want to believe. And there’s nothing we can do about that. So, Atiku can psyche himself up by giving a psychic victory over nothing. He went to America on a voyage of discovery and came back with nothing.”

Ajayi noted that the Wazirin Adamawa has the right to present his case at the Supreme Court adding that “After all, he won’t be the one to decide his own case.”

“In fact, just last week, the CJN said the court will not decide tonight the basis of public opinion but based on the law.

“So, Atiku is trying to intimidate the judiciary and trying to incite Nigerians against the judiciary,” he added.

The Supreme Court has yet to set a date for the hearing of the motion, and this case continues to draw significant attention as it unfolds.

Credit: Punch