Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed the accusation of forgery made by the People Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against President Bola Tinubu.
Mr Atiku filed new paperwork at the Supreme Court challenging the president’s right to run in the February 25 presidential election.
Mr Atiku claims that President Tinubu forged and lied about his certificate from the Chicago State University, which he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku, who polled second in the election, plans to use the academic records of the president, which he obtained from a US court in Illinois to prove that President Tinubu’s certificate was fake.
However, Keyamo, a spokesperson for former President Muhammadu Buhari, has argued that all the claims of forgery are unfounded.
“I have been a defence and prosecution lawyer at the highest level in criminal trials for more than 30 years,” he said.
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“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 or issued it.”
Keyamo argues that Chicago State University’s failure to revoke the contentious certificate and its admission that it does not issue replacement certificates—which can only be obtained from vendors—means that Atiku cannot possibly claim forgery.
Keyamo continued by saying that it was Atiku’s duty to track down and question the vendor who gave Tinubu the replacement certificate. “He who alleges must prove,” he said.
Keyamo pointed out that he used the same strategy to defend former President Muhammadu Buhari when his SSCE certificate was questioned in 2019.
“Unfortunately for them, Tinubu is as clean and white as snow on this issue and we are again waiting for them at the Supreme Court,” he added.
