A U.S. federal court has granted President Bola Tinubu’s motion to use documents from the Nigerian tribunal judgement passed last Wednesday to block his Chicago State University (CSU) records from being accessed by Atiku Abubakar, his main opponent at the February polls.

Court filings obtained by Peoples Gazette showed that Judge Jeffrey Gilbert on Tuesday okayed Tinubu’s request to tender the tribunal ruling that upheld his election victory as exhibits to defend his cause at the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago.

“Intervenor Bola A. Tinubu’s Motion for Leave to File Sur-Response [27] is granted,” reads the document released Tuesday ahead of the in-court hearing of the matter later today. “Intervenor shall file the sur-response and exhibits attached as ECF Nos. 27-1 and 27-2 as separate CM/ECF docket entries.”

Gilbert further moved up the time of the hearing 

from 2:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., per the court filing seen by The Gazette.

“At the request of all counsel, the hearing set for 9/12/23 is reset to 1:30 p.m. This is a change in time only. Out of town counsel may appear at the hearing by using the following number.”

The time change would presumably allow all parties to argue and tender all required exhibits.

Abubakar seeks to clarify discrepancies regarding Tinubu’s background, from the real name under which he entered the U.S. to his age, gender, and admission and graduation.

Peoples Gazette