Supreme Court: Keyamo Tells Atiku Only Way To Prove Alleged Certificate Forgery Against Tinubu

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo has said the allegation of certificate forgery against President Bola Tinubu by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar does not hold water.

Keyamo on Sunday argued that the Chicago State University has not denied the authenticity of the certificate being paraded by Tinubu nor is there any forensic report that the certificate is fake or altered, hence Atiku has no basis for his claims.

He submitted that except the vendor who issued the replacement certificate on behalf of CSU also denies its authenticity, the responsibility remains on Atiku to prove his allegation.

Keyamo who boasted about his legal background said the only choice Atiku has is to fish out the vendor involved in Tinubu’s certificate scandal to be able to verify its authenticity or otherwise and prove his allegation of forgery, adding that they are ready to meet the former Vice President and his lawyers at the Supreme Court.

While arguing that Tinubu is clean, the Minister also highlighted the difference between the current controversy regarding President Tinubu’s academic records and the academic credentials of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Taking to his account on the X platform, Keyamo wrote: “When some comments or perception of otherwise plain and simple issues are so moronic, mischievous or downright odious, they really do not deserve a response because you’d be dignifying idiocy. But let me drop this here for posterity:

“I have been a defence and prosecution lawyer at the highest level in criminal trials for more than 30 years. YOU CANNOT ALLEGE OR PROVE FORGERY EXCEPT THE PURPORTED MAKER OF THE DOCUMENT DENIES ITS AUTHENTICITY OR THERE IS UNCONTRADICTED EVIDENCE OF A FORENSIC REPORT THAT CATEGORICALLY SAYS THE DOCUMENT WAS DELIBERATELY ALTERED OR CONCOCTED BY THE PERSON WHO UTTERED (in a legal sense) OR ISSUED IT.

“Applying this principle to the case of Atiku Abubakar V Chicago State University, so long as the University openly said THEY DO NOT ISSUE REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATES, BUT THAT VENDORS DO SO ON THEIR BEHALF, all these noise about so-called forgery are useless until THE PARTICULAR VENDOR THAT ISSUED the replacement certificate to @officialABAT denies its authenticity. And it is the duty of the accuser to fish out the said vendor and get that evidence. It is not the other way round. He who alleges must prove.

“This is the simple principle I laid down in 2019 during our defence of President Buhari that has been so mischievously celebrated as if they have hit the bull’s eye. Unfortunately for them, @officialABAT is as clean and white as snow on this issue and we are again waiting for them at the Supreme Court.”

Atiku Has Retired From Politics

Speaking on the press conference granted by Atiku on Thursday regarding Tinubu’s academic records controversy, Keyamo said the PDP candidate only gave his valedictory service as a politician.

He described Atiku as a disgrace to Nigeria.

“As for ATIKU Abubakar (the famed SPV king and the one who disgraced Nigeria internationally with the money-laundering case involving Congressman William Jefferson), we acknowledge the valedictory speech he delivered a few days ago signifying his retirement from politics and we wish him godspeed in that retirement.” Keyamo wrote.

Naija News reports Atiku is holding on to the claims of a forged certificate by President Tinubu as part of his claims to unseat Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.

The PDP candidate is challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 election and the affirmation of Tinubu’s victory by the election petition tribunal on September 6.

The former Vice President continues to allege that Tinubu’s academic records are fraught with discrepancies and forgeries.