Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that the controversy surrounding the alleged certificate forgery by President Bola Tinubu was putting Nigeria’s reputation at stake.
Mr Abubakar stated this during a press conference on Thursday, following the release of Mr Tinubu’s academic record by the Chicago State University, CSU.
The presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party in the 2023 election had requested the documents to prove his forgery allegations against Mr Tinubu.
Speaking on the release of the documents, Mr Abubakar said, “The constitution prescribes the requirements for those who seek the highest elective office in the land.
“It should not take months or, indeed, decades, for the institutions concerned to be able to do their work in establishing the credibility of any certificates presented by candidates for public office.
“We undertook this journey at great cost and for important reasons. The ground rules for legitimate governance in our country need to be upheld, and the reputation of our country is at stake. That affects everyone, Nigerians everywhere.
“I am a democrat by conviction and a citizen of a country that I love. The issues at stake in this case require us once more to re-dedicate ourselves to both the country and our constitution,” he said.
He appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to and former president candidates to support his quest to seek justice.
“Let me call on all well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thoughts, our religious, traditional, community and political leaders and in particular, Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP and the leaders of every political party in Nigeria and indeed every single person who loves this country as I do and who wishes nothing but the best for this country as I do, to join me in this campaign to enshrine probity, accountability and the basic principles of justice, morality, and uprightness in our country and in our government. This is a task for every one of us.”
According to him, he was inspired by late human rights activist Gani Fawehinmi to seek clarification on Mr Tinubu’s certificate.
“Now, we entrust these facts to us all as citizens and as leaders of the institutions charged with interpreting our constitution. I should thank the lawyers both in Nigeria and in the United States, who have assisted us in bringing clarity and definitive answers to these issues that appear to have defied our institutions for nearly a quarter of a century.
“I also want to extend my gratitude to Nigerian citizens and friends of Nigeria both within and beyond the shores of our country for their patience as we have sought to find the facts and establish the truth.
“I wish to pay tribute to the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, who inspired us on this path of discovery.
“Now, he can truly rest in peace in the assurance that what he started about 23 years ago has come to fruition. Gani’s vindication today gives credence to the saying that no matter how fast a lie runs, the truth will someday overtake it,” he said.
