A New Twist, as U.S Judge Agrees to Delay Release of Tinubu’s Credentials
In an emergency hearing, U.S. District Judge Nancy Maldonado agreed to stay an order requiring CSU to provide certain academic documents of one of its former students, Bola Tinubu, who has just been elected president of Nigeria.
Tinubu, through his lawyers had appealed the release saying it would have severe damage to him.
That order by Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert would have required CSU to submit the documents by the end of Thursday. Judge Maldonado gave attorneys on both sides to file additional arguments by next Thursday. Tinubu’s attorneys argued that Gilbert’s decision needed to be reviewed by a district judge. That request was granted by Maldonado.
Mindful of legal deadlines in Nigeria, Maldonado said she would rule as quickly as possible after that. “I will have a busy weekend,” she said.
“The issue is of process and rules. I’m a rule person; that’s why I’m a judge. This case is quite involved. I am aware of the stakes. It’s more important to me to get this right.”
Tinubu’s political rival, Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigerian vice president, and the presidential candidate of People’s Democratic Party, claims that Tinubu submitted a forged Chicago State diploma to the country’s election commission before the election, which should disqualify him.
The university says it can confirm the president graduated from CSU. However, it cannot authenticate the diploma because it is a ceremonial document, not part of a student’s official academic file.
At the hearing on Thursday, CSU attorney Michael Hayes said the university wants clarity and is ready to provide the requested documents once the legal issues are resolved.
“We don’t have a dog in this fight,” said Hayes, adding that the university has amassed significant legal fees and unwarranted bad public relations because of the political fight in a foreign land.
Both Maldonado and Gilbert acknowledged a tight time frame considering the legal challenges happening in Nigeria and ordered CSU to submit relevant documents this week.
CSU’s Hayes said it does not have a certified copy of Tinubu’s diploma because it is not part of a student’s official academic record. He said the university has a few dozen pages of forms, including transcripts, details of transfer credits, and an admission letter.
In his petition Atiku Abubakar wants:
* An example of a CSU diploma issued in 1979.
* Tinubu’s diploma issued in 1979
* Any example of a CSU diploma that “contains the same font, seal, signatures and wording” as Tinubu’s diploma issued in June 1979.
* CSU documents certified and produced by Jamar Orr, an associate general counsel at CSU at the time.
Atiku also wants his lawyers to depose CSU officials about the authenticity of Tinumbu’s academic documents.
They also want CSU officials to explain a letter from university Registrar Caleb Westberg confirming Tinumbu’s graduation.
Chicago State released the following statement:
As an educational institution, we are sometimes asked to provide information related to student records. A federal law known as FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects the privacy of student records and limits what an institution can release.
In August 2023, a request was made in U.S. federal court by a third party for the university to provide information related to educational records concerning Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, and a former CSU student. The university can confirm Tinubu attended CSU and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. Federal law, however, prevents us from providing any further information without consent or unless allowed to do so via court order.
It is important to note that the university is not a party to the Nigerian legal proceedings that spurred this request. We are confident in the veracity and integrity of our records regarding Tinubu’s completion of graduation requirements and degree certificate.
Our response to the request for Tinubu’s academic records has been entirely consistent with our practices, policies and federal law. We would respond in exactly the same manner for any request for any student information by a third party.
