A suit filed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar seeking to disqualify President Bola Tinubu from contesting the 2027 presidential election has been stalled at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is challenging Tinubu’s eligibility over an alleged discrepancy in the name on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the mention of the case, counsel to the plaintiff, Joseph Onu, told the court that he had been unable to personally serve the defendant with the originating summons.
Onu said he would prefer to serve President Tinubu personally or through substituted service.
Counsel to the president attempted to receive the originating summons on Tinubu’s behalf, but Onu declined, insisting that the defendant must be served directly or through an order for substituted service.
Atiku filed the suit on Friday, asking the court to determine whether the alleged discrepancy on the NYSC certificate affects Tinubu’s constitutional qualification to contest the 2027 presidential election.
According to the plaintiffs, the certificate submitted to INEC bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle,” while the president’s official name is “Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
They want the court to determine whether the difference in the names constitutes a violation of the constitutional requirements for presidential candidates and, consequently, affects Tinubu’s eligibility to seek another term.
After hearing from the parties, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the case until September 28 for further mention.
Tinubu defeated Atiku in the 2023 presidential election. The two politicians are once again positioning themselves for the presidency as the 2027 election approaches.
Tinubu is seeking another term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Atiku is expected to contest under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
