2027: Court Gives Tinubu 7 Days To Respond To Atiku’s Eligibility Suit

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s application to serve President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with court processes through his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a suit challenging his eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order on Wednesday, directing that the originating processes be served through the APC within seven days. The case was subsequently adjourned until September 28 for further proceedings.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was filed by Atiku and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with Tinubu, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed as the first to third defendants respectively.

Atiku is challenging Tinubu’s eligibility based principally on allegations concerning a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate which he claims was submitted to INEC in connection with Tinubu’s presidential candidacy.

In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Atiku alleged that the certificate bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, rather than the President’s name, “Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” He further alleged that the document was forged and had been presented to INEC as genuine.

Atiku is asking the court to determine whether the alleged submission of the certificate breached constitutional provisions relating to the presentation of forged certificates by candidates seeking elective office.

The plaintiffs are also seeking an order disqualifying Tinubu and the APC from participating in the 2027 presidential election if the court upholds their claims.

The suit had earlier faced a procedural hurdle after Atiku’s legal team informed the court that efforts to personally serve Tinubu with the originating processes had been unsuccessful. At the September 1 proceedings, lawyers appearing for Tinubu offered to receive the processes, but the plaintiffs insisted on personal service or an order for substituted service.

The latest ruling has now cleared that issue, with the court permitting substituted service through the APC.

Meanwhile, Tinubu, the APC and INEC have filed processes challenging the competence of the suit and urging the court to dismiss it.

Counsel representing Tinubu have also challenged Atiku’s legal standing to institute the action and raised objections concerning the timing and competence of the case. A separate report on the latest proceedings said Tinubu and the APC denied submitting a forged NYSC certificate and argued that the plaintiffs had not produced evidence from the NYSC disclaiming the document.

The legal dispute is expected to return to the Federal High Court on September 28 when the matter comes up for further mention.