The camp of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday urged President Bola Tinubu to resign from office over the non-release of his academic record by the Chicago State University (CSU).
A US District Judge, Nancy Maldonado, had on Thursday agreed to stay an order directing Chicago State University to make Tinubu’s academic document available to Atiku’s legal team.
The court’s hearing came up late Thursday night after the president’s lawyers filed an emergency motion seeking a delay in the implementation of the self-effectuating order directing the CSU to comply with Atiku’s subpoenas till Monday.
Ahead of the resumption of the case on Monday, however, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in a short statement made available to THISDAY Saturday night, asked President Tinubu to resign from office to save Nigeria from embarrassment.
Ibe declared that no matter how long Tinubu tries to stall the process of releasing his academic documents, the records would be released.
“If Tinubu is a first-class graduate like he claims, it will be in his best interest and that of over 200 million Nigerians, for him to take a first-class decision of resigning. This is the only way that he can save Nigeria and its people of this embarrassment and laughing stock that it has become.
“He is a national embarrassment, a regional embarrassment, a continental embarrassment, and an embarrassment to the Black race. If he still has any modicum of respect for himself and the people he claims to be leading, he should resign as President with immediate alacrity. No matter how long he tries to stall the process, the records that he has been hiding from Nigerians for decades will be discovered. He needs to be reminded that the United States is not Nigeria” Ibe explained.
Ibe, who also spoke to THISDAY, noted that Nigerians were going through a lot of economic difficulties as well as socio-political challenges.
He claimed that nothing was happening, adding that the economy is gradually grinding to a halt.
“Look at the issues of the value of the Naira and the exchange rate. The meeting of the Central Bank Monetary Committee has been postponed. Things are just grinding to a halt. Nothing is happening because the committee that is supposed to provide the economic policies is not working.
“Nigeria is now on auto pilot and like a sick person receiving drips in the hospital. Things are just bad,” he added.
When asked how the economic crisis in Nigeria is related to the President’s academic credentials, the media aide to Atiku said: “Nigerians have become the butts of the jokes. Mind you that one out of every five black men in the world is a Nigerian.”
According to him, Tinubu’s academic record has monumental implications for Nigerians. You went to a university; when has it become a problem that the school you attended will not release your school credentials on demand?” Ibe queried, adding that Tinubu has something he wants to hide from Nigerians and the international community.
“If for any reason you want to change or get a new job and the new employers want to do due diligence, you write your alma mater to release your credentials to your would-be new employers. This is the case with the APC presidential candidate in the last presidential election, why should Bola Tinubu stop his school from releasing his credentials to the public?
“This is what should agitate the minds of Nigerians,” Ibe added.
The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Felix Morka, did not respond to a phone call and a message sent to his WhatsApp on the issue, by THISDAY.
However, his deputy, Hon. Duro Meseko, said the party would respond later.
Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
