The Chicago State University (CSU) has responded to the request by former vice president Atiku Abubakar in line with an Illinois, United States (U.S.) court order.
In its compliance with the September 30 judgment by Justice Nancy Maldonado of the Northern District of Illinois Court, the CSU insisted that it does not keep copies of diploma certificates issued to students.
Atiku had, by his application, sought for four categories of documents from the CSU.
The school also confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu graduated in 1979.
The CSU said Tinubu graduated from the school in 1979 with a bachelors’ degree in Business Administration.
It explained that after diligent search, it was able to find some diploma certificates. It did not give the names because of privacy concerns.
It further said that it could not find that of Tinubu which Atiku claimed was presented by the president to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The university said it found some diploma certificates with the same font as the one being queried by Atiku.
The response, signed by lawyer to the CSU, Michael D. Hayes, is titled: “Response to applicant’s (Atiku’s) revised subpoena to produce documents.”
It reads in part,
“Respondent, Chicago State University (“CSU”), by its undersigned counsel, for its response to applicant’s revised subpoena to produce documents dated September 13, 2023, states as follows:
“Request No. 1: A true and correct copy of any diploma for a Bachelor of Science degree issued by CSU in 1979.
“Response to request No. 1: The documents responsive to this request which CSU, after diligent search, has been able to locate are produced herewith and Bates labelled CSU 0001 through CSU 0007. The students’ names on these diplomas have been redacted for privacy reasons.
“Request No. 2: A true and correct copy of any diploma issued by CSU in 1979 to Mr. Tinubu.
“Response to request No. 2: CSU does not in the ordinary course keep copies of student diplomas, and after diligent search cannot locate a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Mr. Tinubu in 1979, hence has no documents responsive to this request.
“Request No. 3: True and correct copies of any diplomas issued by CSU (other than to Mr. Tinubu) that contain the same font, seal, signatures, and wording (other than the name of the recipient and the specific degree awarded) as Contained in Exhibit C to the First Liu Declaration, which purports to be a CSU diploma issued to Mr. Tinubu on or about June 22, 1979.
“Response to request No. 3: The documents responsive to this request which CSU, after diligent search, has been able to locate are produced herewith and Bates labelled CSU 0008 through CSU 0010. The students’ names on these diplomas have been redacted for privacy reasons. CSU is also producing, Bates labelled as CSU 0011 and CSU 0012, diplomas prepared for other CSU students (with their names redacted for privacy) which match the format of the Tinubu replacement diploma dated June 27, 1997.
“Request No. 4: True and correct copies of any CSU documents relating to Mr. Tinubu that were certified by Jamar C. Orr, Esq., including without limitation, the documents in Exhibit D to the Uwais Declaration, and all Communications to or from CSU concerning the certification of such documents by Jamar C. Orr, Esq., during the period August 1, 2022 to August 1, 2023
“Response to Request No. 4: The responsive documents certified by Mr. Orr are produced herewith and Bates labelled CSU 0013 through CSU 0032. CSU’s prior objection to the Communications aspect of this request was sustained by the Court (see Doc. 40 at pp. 28 -29 and Doc. 54 at p. 32), hence no documents responsive to that subject are being produced.”
