President Bola Tinubu has requested the Supreme Court to reject Atiku Abubakar’s application to introduce fresh evidence in his appeal.
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the last elections, is challenging Tinubu’s victory in the February poll and the election tribunal’s verdict upholding the outcome.
Atiku had alleged discrepancies and forgeries in Tinubu’s academic records.
After a US court granted Atiku’s request to compel Chicago State University (CSU) to release Tinubu’s academic records, he now seeks to introduce these records in the apex court.
However, Tinubu argued that the certificate forgery allegation was not part of Atiku’s petition at the tribunal, and the tribunal correctly struck out paragraphs in the petitioners’ replies attempting to introduce new issues.
Tinubu further argued that Atiku’s granted application in the US court is “alien” to the pending appeal before the supreme court.
The president said:
“Appellants’ submission under paragraph 6.45 of their brief further expose the entire attitude of the appellants before the lower court, that is, the attitude of first filing a petition and then fishing for evidence during the pendency of the petition and even up to the point of appeal to this honorable court”.
“Without prejudice to our objection to this issue, we submit that the arguments regarding a purported ‘Case No. 1:23-CV05009-th Re Application of Atiku for an Order Directing Discovery from Chicago State University…’ is alien to these proceedings, does not arise from the record or the judgment of the lower court and cannot be countenanced by this honorable court and we urge the court to so hold.
“In the final analysis, it is our humble prayer that this honorable court resolves this issue in favour of the respondents and against the appellants.”
The president also stated that the entire appeal lacks merit and should be dismissed.