Reject CSU Deposition, It was Conducted By U.S Lawyers, not Court Officials, Tinubu Begs Supreme Court

In a dramatic twist to the legal battle surrounding the contested Nigerian presidential election, President Bola Tinubu has requested the Supreme Court to disregard evidence presented by his opponent, Atiku Abubakar. The grounds for this request are based on the assertion that the deposition of Caleb Westberg, registrar of the Chicago State University (CSU), was conducted by U.S. attorneys rather than certified judicial officers.

President Tinubu, responding to Mr. Abubakar’s petitions aimed at overturning his election victory, filed a counter affidavit on October 12, in which he cast doubt on the authenticity of the deposition.

Tinubu’s affidavit boldly stated, “I know as a fact that neither Gwendolyn Bedford nor any other person present at the deposition is a judicial officer,” implying that the testimony given by Mr. Westberg may be unreliable.

The deposition is further tarnished by allegations that it was not conducted in a neutral setting. Dechert LLP, the legal firm representing Mr. Abubakar, chose their West Wacker office as the venue for the deposition. Tinubu raised this concern in his affidavit, pointing out the potential bias in the choice of location. He noted that “DECHERT LLP referenced as the venue of the deposition is the law office where Angela Liu, Esq., counsel to the 1st appellant herein, serves as a partner.”

It remains unclear whether Mr. Tinubu’s legal team, including Charles Carmichael and Oluwole Afolabi, objected to the venue prior to the October 3 deposition, or if they consented to the selection of Mr. Abubakar’s preferred location.

Nevertheless, President Tinubu appears poised to utilize the choice of venue as a legal argument to prevent the Supreme Court from admitting the deposition as evidence in support of allegations of forgery.

With the battle for Nigeria’s presidency heating up, President Tinubu has thrown his own allegations into the mix, accusing his main opponent in the February elections, Atiku Abubakar, of identity fraud and forgery. Tinubu has challenged Mr. Abubakar to explain the discrepancy between his name on his primary school certificate, “Atiku Kojoli,” and his 1965 West African Senior School Certificate (WASSCE), where he is listed as “Siddiq Abubakar.” As the legal showdown unfolds, the nation watches with bated breath to see how these intricate legal maneuvers will shape the outcome of the case.