Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate and former vice president of Nigeria has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plea for privacy over release of his academic credentials.
Atiku made the criticism following Tinubu’s objection of the order of Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert, who maintained that his (Tinubu) objection holds no weight under justice.
Recall that the court had on September 19, after hearing both parties held that Atiku’s application for release of Tinubu’s academic records overrules Tinubu’s plea for protection under the privacy law.
Following Judge Gilbert’s judgement, a dissatisfied Tinubu on Thursday appealed to a Federal High Court presided by Judge Nancy Maldonado to delay the enforcement of the order till Monday, September 25, when he would formally file his objection.
At the Monday proceedings, Tinubu while referencing the Federal Educational Records and Privacy Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1232(g) (“FERPA”).argued that Atiku’s request for his academic records was intrusive and a blatant and sheer violation of his privacy hence the previous judgement was a breech of US law and violation of his right.
However, Atiku countered his argument stating that his plea for privacy was irrelevant and inconsequential.
According to Atiku, Tinubu had no moral rights to plead for privacy because contents of his academic records had been submitted in court proceedings in Nigeria and as well been published for public view in the media.
Atiku had this to say about Tinubu’s academic record: Tinubu “has placed his educational records at issue, ECF 40 at 25-26 (explaining that Intervenor put his diploma at issue by submitting it to INEC and Tinubu’s records have already been introduced into the Nigerian proceedings, including by Tinubu himself, and widely published in the media”.
