The United States District Court of Columbia has rejected a request to compel the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to disclose information concerning President Bola Tinubu.
An individual named Aaron Greenspan had submitted an emergency motion in an attempt to force the release of documents from several government agencies, including the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA), the Department of State, FBI, IRS, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the CIA.
This request was made in light of the Nigerian Supreme Court’s consideration of appeals filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party against Tinubu.
Greenspan emphasized the urgency of obtaining these documents, as they were required for presentation at the Supreme Court.
Greenspan told the court that the Supreme Court deliberately moved the hearing of the appeals by Atiku and Obi to October 23 to render his suit before the US court nugatory.
He had asked that the documents on Tinubu be released to him latest October 31.
Ruling on the appeal, Judge Beryl A. Howell declined Greenspan’s request on the grounds that he failed to satisfy the relevant conditions for the grant of such a prayer contained in a motion for emergency hearing, which he filed on Monday.
In the civil suit, with number: 23-1816, Greenspan is also asking for similar information and documents on Mueez Adegboyega Akande, who is said to have died as of November 16, 2022.
In rejecting his motion for immediate release of the documents, the US court said Greenspan failed to convince the court of the public issues it could cause it to overlook the privacy rights of President Tinubu.
Meanwhile, Tinubu’s lawyers have filed a motion at the court seeking to be allowed to defend the President in the suit.
