Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA) has kicked against the order of transfer made by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court on the case challenging President Bola Tinubu’s academic credentials, from Kano to Abuja.
The CFRPA had on June 26, 2026, filed suit No: FHC/KN/CS/312/2026 (The incorporated trustees for reform and public advocacy v. Bola Ahmed Tinubu & 2 Ors) in Kano.
The group is challenging the academic credentials presented by the president, and raised serious constitutional questions under Sections 131 and 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Its Head of Legal Unit, Kalu Agu, in a statement issued yesterday, noted that the transfer application was initiated and written by lawyers representing Tinubu, saying the speed and manner of granting the transfer give the impression of preferential treatment.
This, it added, created a reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of the office of the Chief Judge in favour of Tinubu and his legal team.
The group claimed that Kano is where many of the witnesses and members reside, adding that transferring the case to Abuja at the instance of Tinubu imposes unnecessary hardship, cost, and inconvenience on the plaintiff, and is designed to frustrate the case.
It said: “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.”
The group, therefore, demanded that the Chief Judge immediately reverse the transfer order and allow the case to proceed in Kano where it was properly filed.
It added: “If the 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.”
The group stressed that it remained committed to the rule of law, constitutionalism, and accountability in public office, adding: “We will use all lawful means to resist any attempt to pervert the course of justice.”