Chicago Certificate Saga: Why Tinubu Should Resign Now – Chidoka

Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has strongly urged President Bola Tinubu to resign following revelations made during a deposition by Caleb Westberg, the Registrar of Chicago State University (CSU). Westberg’s testimony indicated that CSU did not possess the certificate President Tinubu presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prior to the 2023 general election.

The deposition, a sworn, out-of-court oral testimony, was given as part of a request from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 election. Atiku had sought these documents to support his allegation of certificate forgery against Tinubu, a claim that was dismissed by the presidential election court.

Despite the court’s ruling, Atiku pursued the case in a U.S. court, hoping to obtain official documents to substantiate his claims and possibly include them in his Supreme Court appeal. His argument centered on discrepancies in the certificates Tinubu submitted to INEC, which, if valid, would have made him ineligible to contest the election.

During an appearance on Arise TV, Chidoka expressed his concern, labeling the situation a national embarrassment that should not be ignored. He called on President Tinubu to resign immediately to spare the country further embarrassment. Furthermore, he implored the Supreme Court to prioritize the case and avoid excessive legalism and technicalities.

“We will submit it to the Supreme Court, and whether they accept it or not is their prerogative. I believe this goes beyond legalism. Nigeria should not be debating whether the Supreme Court will accept it; we are internationally embarrassed, and the world is watching,” Chidoka stated. “The Supreme Court would be doing a disservice to itself and the nation if it doesn’t take judicial notice of what the CSU deposition has revealed.”

Chidoka’s comments echoed his earlier sentiments, where he characterized the U.S. Court’s order directing CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records to Atiku as a national disgrace. He expressed deep concern that various authorities, including the Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency, INEC, and the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, failed to clarify the President’s academic history, leaving Atiku to investigate the matter.

Chidoka emphasized that if it were discovered that the President had forged his certificates, the leadership and relevant institutions of Nigeria should bear the weight of shame for allowing such a situation to persist.