A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday postponed further hearing of a suit by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar seeking to bar President Bola Tinubu from contesting the 2027 presidential election. The case, which centres on allegations that Tinubu submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate, was fixed for September 28.
Atiku, running under the African Democratic Congress banner, and the party itself are the plaintiffs. They named Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission as defendants.
In a supporting affidavit, Atiku claimed Tinubu presented an NYSC certificate bearing the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle” to INEC. He maintained that the document does not belong to the president, whose name is not Adekunle, and that it constitutes a forgery. According to the suit, Tinubu has used the same certificate since his 1999 Lagos State governorship bid.
The plaintiffs asked the court to rule on whether constitutional and electoral provisions allow them to enforce the ban on candidates who present forged certificates. They sought a declaration that Tinubu breached the constitution by submitting the document in 1999 and an order disqualifying him and the APC from the 2027 presidential race.
When the matter came up, lawyers for Tinubu appeared and said they had authority to represent him. Atiku’s counsel insisted on personal service or a written undertaking from the president, citing the sensitivity of the case and a desire to avoid technical objections. INEC’s lawyer urged the court to treat the appearance of counsel as sufficient and called for an accelerated hearing, noting that more than two weeks had already passed since the suit was filed.
Justice Inyang Ekwo declined to dictate how the plaintiffs should handle service and adjourned the case for mention. He also issued a firm warning against public discussion of the proceedings.
“This case is to be conducted in the court and not in the media, whether it is regular or social,” the judge said. “If this case is discussed on social media, I will hold counsel for the party responsible, and I will take very drastic action.”
The suit rests on constitutional provisions that disqualify anyone who presents a forged certificate in support of an election candidacy. Atiku’s legal team argued that those rules apply to presidential candidates and that earlier limitations in the Electoral Act and constitution do not prevent enforcement.
The matter returns to court on September 28 for further proceedings. Parties remain under the judge’s directive not to discuss the case outside the courtroom.
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