By Christiana Ekpa
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has urged the United States to cause Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release his Chicago State University academic records to a court in Nigeria.
He said this would help douse tension and clear doubts, adding that it would also be in the spirit of reciprocity and freedom of information obtainable in the United States of America.
In a statement he sent to journàlists on Wednesday, he called on President Tinubu to cooperate in allowing his acclaimed Chicago State University to release his academic records if he has nothing to hide.
He said Tinubu, as a public servant, ought not to stop the release of his academic records, including his certificate, through a Court, as the citizens have the right to know all about their leaders.
Recall that Tinubu had 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.
Lamenting, Frank said the US is playing double standards in releasing Tinubu’s academic records, an issue so serious in their country but taken with levity because it concerns Nigeria, an African nation.
“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 subpoenaed 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.
“What seems to be more worrisome is the idea that a sitting President who had sworn to uphold the integrity and sanctity of the Presidential office would attempt to muzzle an independent judiciary of the United States through acts of coercion or frivolous motions unknown to the Justice Department,” he said.
Frank reminded the US of their effective justice system, which gave credence to the trial of the former President of the United States, Donald Trump, over alleged misconduct while in office.
He insisted that Tinubu shouldn’t have approached a US Court to stop the release of his academic records: “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.
“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 Alh. Atiku is not doing anything extraordinary against the law.”
