In a landmark victory delivered in favour of Atiku Abubakar, applicant and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 presidential election, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has ruled that all documents the PDP candidate applied for must be released to him.
The court held that all the documents must be released on or before October 2.
The court did not vary the request but made an astonishing ruling compelling the Chicago State University to as a matter of urgency release sought after documents to the PDP candidate.
The Judge Nancy Maldonado, in a copy of the judgement on Sunday, noted that Chicago State University raised no objection to Judge Jeffery Gilbert’s decision that the academic record be made public.
The court noted that Atiku’s interest far outweigh any intrusion on Tinubu’s privacy interests in his educational records.
All Tinubu’s objections to Gilbert’s recommended ruling were overruled while all Atiku’s applications adopted the ruling.
The court held that “For the foregoing reasons, the Court overrules President Tinubu’s objections to Magistrate Judge Gilbert’s recommended ruling and therefore adopts the ruling in full.
“Mr. Abubakar’s Application is therefore granted. In light of the pending Supreme Court of Nigeria deadline, represented to the Court as October 5, 2023, and based on CSU’s representations that it is ready to comply with the discovery requests and produce a witness, the Court sets an expedited schedule for completion of discovery.
“Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in
response to Requests for Production Nos. 1 through 4 (as narrowed by Judge Gilbert and adopted here) in Mr. Abubakar’s subpoena, by 12:00 p.m. (noon) CDT, on Monday, October 2, 2023.
“The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on
Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Given the October 5, 2023, filing deadline before the Supreme Court
of Nigeria, the Court will not extend or modify these deadlines.
“ENTERED: 9/30/23 Nevery 7. Malleried Nancy L. Maldonado United States District Court Judge.”
