Headlines
Tinubu’s Certificate Not from Our School, CSU Confirms
There’s every indication that the certificate President Bola Tinubu submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a forgery as Chicago State University’s Registrar, Caleb Westberg, has testified under oath that the replacement certificate the President submitted to INEC is not a document of the university.
Westberg’s testimony took place during a deposition following the ruling by Judge Nancy Maldonado, which authorized the release of Bola Tinubu’s records at Chicago State University. During the deposition, Westberg stated that the logo on the replacement certificate is not recognized by the institution.
Westberg, who joined Chicago State University in November 2020 from Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, said, as per a report, that President Tinubu’s certificate, dated June 22, 1979, and tendered to INEC on June 17, 2022, was not issued by the school and its administrators could, therefore, not be able to authenticate its source.
Westberg also said during the deposition that President Tinubu did not apply for a replacement certificate, nor was he ever issued one.
The deposition process lasted for more than five hours and concluded at approximately 9:30 pm Nigerian time. It is part of the ongoing legal challenge by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, who is contesting the election of President Tinubu based on allegations of non-qualification due to document forgery.
CSU had long insisted that President Tinubu was its student, entering in 1977 and graduating in 1979, but its inability to authenticate the certificate the former Lagos State governor submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission would ripple across Nigeria and the world for the foreseeable future, just as the full transcript of the deposition would be highly anticipated by those following the case closely, both in Nigeria and abroad.
Headlines
Abiola Cannot Be Recognised As Former President; He Was Never Sworn-in – Gen Ishola Williams
By Eric Elezuo
One of the prime actors of the June 12, 1993 incidents, General Ishola Williams, has said that much as Chief MKO Abiola wrong was created having won the election, and denied victory, he cannot be recognized as a former President of Nigeria.
Gen Williams made his revelation while speaking as a guest on Channels television socio-political programme, Inside Source.
He maintained that only those who were sworn in that recognised as former presidents, and Abiola was never sworn in.
“Abiola cannot be recognised as former president because he was never sworn in.
The General, who said that he resigned from the army as a result of the wholesome reception given to General Sani Abacha, when he overthrew Chief Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government, contrary to expectation, also picked flaws in the narratives given by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, in his recently launched book, A Journey In Service.
Williams rose in the army to become the Commandant of Army Signals, Commander of Training and Doctrine (TRADOC) and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, from where he resigned.
Headlines
Breaking: Supreme Court Recognises Martin Amaewhule As Rivers Assembly Speaker, Orders CBN to Stop Releasing Funds to State
By Eric Elezuo
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has in its ruling on Friday recognised Hon Martins Amaewhule as the authentic speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, mandating him to urgently resume sitting with elected members of the assembly.
The apex court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop releasing to the Rivers State government until a proper assembly is constituted.
Details soon…
Tension escalated at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday as impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa made a dramatic return to reclaim his position.
Accompanied by heavily armed men, Obasa stormed the Assembly complex in a bold move that has thrown the State’s legislature into turmoil.
In a stunning turn of events, security details assigned to the substantive Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, were abruptly withdrawn on Thursday morning, clearing the path for Obasa’s controversial comeback.
Sources revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered the withdrawal of all security operatives attached to Meranda, leaving her exposed in the midst of an intensifying power struggle.
The Speaker’s Special Adviser on Information, Mr. Victor Ganzallo, expressed concern over the security vacuum created by the withdrawal of personnel.
“In the early hours of Thursday, we woke up to the startling news that all security details assigned to Madam Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, had been withdrawn.
This includes the police and DSS officers, leaving her exposed to threats amid the ongoing speakership crisis,” Ganzallo stated.
He further called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the State’s Chief Security Officer, to intervene urgently to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order within the Assembly.
“The withdrawal of security personnel has left the Assembly naked and vulnerable at a critical time. Urgent action is needed to restore order,” he pleaded.
With the speakership battle taking a dramatic new turn, political watchers are keenly observing how the crisis will unfold in the coming days.
