Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday to allow Chicago State University to release his academic records to a court in Nigeria if he has nothing to hide. He also challenged the American government and its institutions to have Tinubu’s certificates in Chicago State University released to a court in Nigeria in the spirit of reciprocity and freedom of information obtainable in that country.
Frank, in a statement issued in Abuja, insisted that Tinubu, as a public servant, ought not to seek to prevent his academic records from being made public in a law court. This call comes after Tinubu filed a motion seeking to prevent a United States Federal Court from releasing his university academic records to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as requested by the latter.
Frank lamented that the United States is playing double standards, where actions and requests that are taken seriously in their country become the reverse when it concerns an African country like Nigeria. He stated, “Barely two days after former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) approached the State District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, subpoenaing the Chicago State University to release the records of Tinubu, it is rather shocking that the President has countered the request by filling a counter motion to restrain the Court from releasing his academic records to the petitioner.”
He criticized the notion that a sitting President would attempt to muzzle an independent judiciary of the United States through acts of coercion or frivolous motions unknown to the Justice department. He emphasized that the United States’ justice system isn’t amenable to coercion, intimidation, subjugation, or any other form of compromise, as demonstrated by recent events concerning former President Donald Trump.
Frank further questioned what Tinubu might be hiding in Chicago University and urged him to request the university to release his academic information to Nigeria, as requested by Atiku. He also stressed that transparency and scrutiny are essential qualities for anyone seeking leadership in Nigeria.
“What are you hiding in the Chicago University? If you are proud of your credentials, tell the University you claimed to have attended to release your academic information to Nigeria as requested by Atiku,” stated Frank.
“This is simply the right thing to do because when a subpoena has been issued, it’s meant to be honoured anywhere.
“For anybody who wants to lead Nigeria, you should be able to surrender yourself to Nigerians for scrutiny as that is the minimum standard expected and I’m aware Alhaji Atiku is not doing anything extraordinary against the law.
“This is the very reason we believe the US court must throw out your (Tinubu’s) appeal and give your academic information to Nigeria,” added Frank, who concluded by stating that the United States must not be seen to protect any high-profile Nigerian or any Nigerian holding public office.
He also urged that the US should follow its own principles of freedom of information and transparency, and not aid and abet criminality in Nigeria by refusing to release unclassified documents permitted by its freedom of information law.
