Foremost human rights activist and maritime lawyer, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba has cautioned against opinions being expressed about the Chicago State University (CSU) saga ahead of the appeal before the Supreme Court in the presidential election matter.
Following the controversy over the educational qualification of President Bola Tinubu, CSU weighed in recently affirming that he attended the institution and graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor’s degree. But the debate on the issue never ceased with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in last February’s election, filing additional claims before the Supreme Court, centring on the CSU cerificate.
In a tweet on X on Monday, Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), called on the association to reign in “lawyers that breach rules of ethics by turning the media into a Court of Law”.
Agbakoba, whose opinion was titled, ‘This Madness of Chicago State University Must Stop Now!!!, wrote: “The cacophony of discordant voices on Tinubu/Atiku over the certificate matter is completely out of hand. This utter nonsense from armchair lawyers is heating up Nigeria dangerously”.
He further said: “Please can we keep our opinions and views to ourselves awaiting a decision of the Supreme Court. I am so ashamed to see lawyers on television arguing one way or the other on the merits or demerits of the Chicago State University matter. This is most unhelpful!
“I call out all media that tolerate this nonsense of adjudicating the CSU matter on TV and newspapers.
“I urge the President of the Nigerian Bar Association to call out lawyers that breach rules of ethics by turning the media into a Court of Law.
“Can we please stop heating up our country!!! Let us allow the Supreme Court of Nigeria to make a judicial pronouncement which is binding on us all!!!! This public nonsense must stop”.
