Lawyer kicks FHC Chief Judge transfers suit challenging Tinubu’s academic credentials

A lawyer, Kalu Kalu Agu, has raised the alarm over the transfer of a suit filed by the Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, CFRPA, challenging the academic credentials of President Bola Tinubu.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC recently published the credentials of 19 presidential candidates, including President Tinubu.

In the credentials published by INEC, Tinubu, who is seeking re-election under the All Progressives Congress, APC, did not provide his academic credentials.

Consequently, CFRPA, in suit No. FHC/KN/CS/312/2026, filed on June 26, 2026, challenged the academic credentials presented by the President.

However, in a statement by its Head of Legal, Kalu Kalu Agu, the group confirmed that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Kano had ordered the transfer of the suit to Abuja, alleging bias in the case.

Agu rejected the order made by the Federal High Court judge regarding the suit.

He stressed that Tinubu’s credentials published by INEC raised serious constitutional questions under Sections 131 and 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

He therefore called for the reversal of the suit’s transfer.

“But the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, following an application by the lawyers of Tinubu, transferred the case from the Kano Judicial Division to the Abuja Division.

“Manifest bias and likelihood of bias: The application for transfer was initiated and written by lawyers representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The speed and manner of granting the transfer give the impression of preferential treatment and create a reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of the office of the Chief Judge in favour of Mr. Tinubu and his legal team.

“Denial of access to justice in Kano: Kano is where many of our witnesses and members reside. Transferring the case to Abuja at the instance of Bola Ahmed Tinubu imposes unnecessary hardship, cost, and inconvenience on the plaintiff and is designed to frustrate the case.

“Forum shopping: The move from Kano to Abuja appears to be a deliberate attempt to shop for a more convenient forum for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the sitting President, and to avoid public scrutiny in Kano.

“The judiciary must not only be impartial; it must be seen to be impartial. This transfer, done at the behest of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the President’s lawyers, erodes public confidence in the independence of the Federal High Court.

“We therefore demand that the Honourable Chief Judge immediately reverse the transfer order and allow the case to proceed in Kano, where it was properly filed.

“Our question to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: If Mr. President has nothing to hide regarding the allegations of forgery of academic credentials, why is he afraid of going to the North to stand trial and defend himself in Kano? A leader who claims to represent all Nigerians should not be afraid to answer constitutional questions in any part of Nigeria,” he stated.