The Chicago State University, CSU, has said it does not in the ordinary course keep copies of student diplomas, hence, cannot locate a copy of the original diploma it prepared for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 1979.
Recall that Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in line with an order of a United States court requested the documents to back his allegation of forgery of CSU certificate against Tinubu.
The institution however confirmed it found the diplomas matching certificate Tinubu presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission after a diligent in its archives.
According to the school’s counsel, Michael D. Hayes in response to Judge Nancy Maldonado’s order, was able to locate and produce seven different certificates for Bachelor of Science degree it issued in 1979
Atiku had apparently requested the documents to compare and contrast them with the one presented by Tinubu as his for the 2023 polls.
Atiku in his request wanted: “True and correct copies of any diplomas issued by CSU (other than to Mr. Tinubu) that contain the same font, seal, signatures, and wording (other than the name of the recipient and the specific degree awarded) as Contained in Exhibit C to the First Liu Declaration, which purports to be a CSU diploma issued to Mr. Tinubu on or about June 22, 1979.”
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Responding, Hayes said: “The documents responsive to this request which CSU, after diligent search, has been able to locate are produced herewith and Bates labelled CSU 0008 through CSU 0010.
“The students’ names on these diplomas have been redacted for privacy reasons.
“CSU is also producing, Bates labelled as CSU 0011 and CSU 0012, diplomas prepared for other CSU students (with their names redacted for privacy) which match the format of the Tinubu replacement diploma dated June 27, 1997.”
On Atiku’s request that the school should produce a copy of Tinubu’s certificate issued in 1979, the school maintained its position that “it does not keep copies of students’ diplomas, talk less of the one issued in 1979.”
“CSU does not in the ordinary course keep copies of student diplomas, and after diligent search cannot locate a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Mr. Tinubu in 1979, hence has no documents responsive to this request,” Hayes said.
