Olajide Adeniji, a supposed former classmate of Bola Tinubu at Chicago State University (CSU), has testified in the United States district court, in the ongoing case between Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, News About Nigeria understands.
Adeniji swore under oath that he not only schooled with Tinubu but also contested against him for the position of President of the Accounting Society Club at the Department of Business Administration/Accounting at CSU.
Adeniji’s affidavit, dated September 23 and filed in the Northern District of Illinois Court in Chicago, confirmed his personal knowledge of President Tinubu.
He said, “I am familiar with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is now the President of Nigeria. I was a student at Chicago State University from 1977 to 1979, and Bola Tinubu and I were in the same course of study.”
Furthermore, Adeniji recalled his own competitive race against Tinubu for the leadership of the Accounting Society Club. “I also recognize and know the person who I attended Chicago State University with, Bola A. Tinubu, is the same person who is now the President of Nigeria,” he said.
Recall that Atiku had sought access to Tinubu’s academic records from CSU as part of his challenge to Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election and the subsequent affirmation of that victory by the election petition court in Abuja.
Acting on Atiku’s application, a magistrate ordered CSU to provide all relevant and non-privileged documents, including admission records, dates of attendance, degrees, awards, and honours attained by Tinubu at the university.
In response, Tinubu’s lawyer, Christopher Carmichael, requested that the court protect certain privileged information, such as admission records and transcripts, while releasing only his certificate to Atiku’s legal team. Carmichael argued that the critical fact had already been established by CSU.
