Judge temporarily halts FBI, other U.S. crime agencies  from releasing Tinubu’s files

Judge temporarily halts FBI, other U.S. crime agencies  from releasing Tinubu’s files

 

A United States Judge, Beryl Howell, has denied a request from a whistleblower and publisher of Plainsite, Aaron Greenspan, about fast tracking release of files held by FBI and other crime fighting agencies in the United States about President Bola Tinubu. 

 

.

Recall that the FBI, State Department and other Agencies of the U.S. government, had given a nod to release about 25,000 loads of documents relating to President Bola Tinubu beginning from the end of October.

 

Greenspan, who along with Nigerian Journalist, David Hundeyin, earlier secured the order from the U.S. agencies to release Tinubu’s documents, approached a U.S. court to fast track the timing of the release in view of Nigeria’s  Supreme Court already hearing appeal from opposition candidates against the president’s eligibility to contest the 2023 election. 

 

Greenspan, who also is a  tech expert and transparency activist, filed the emergency request after Mr Tinubu mobilized his lawyers to fight against the release, noting it would violate his privacy, among other statutory rights.

 

But Judge Beryl Howell ruled: “Plaintiff’s emergency motion for a hearing to compel immediate document production is denied.”

 

Mr Greenspan said Mr Tinubu was trying to slow down the release of the documents, which the agencies had previously stipulated would be released in batches beginning from October ending, to foreclose any impact the disclosures may have on the ongoing election dispute at the Nigerian Supreme Court.

 

But Judge Howell, in her decision, said Mr Greenspan did not adequately justify his request for an urgent hearing on his motion for expedited release of records, especially against the need to protect Mr Tinubu’s interest. 

 

The judge added: “Plaintiff has not made any representation to the court that the balance of equities tips in his favour or that the granting of his motion would further the public interest. Given that the FOIA request is for records that, if any exist, may be of a highly sensitive and private nature and that the subject of those documents, Bola A. Tinubu, has had no opportunity to protect his privacy interests in any such records, the balance of equities militates strongly in favour of denying this emergency motion.”

 

The judge approved Mr Tinubu’s request to allow his lawyer, Christopher Carmichael, to appear in the case, although she has yet to rule on the president’s motion to intervene in the matter.