Court Fixes Nov 20 for ruling on Atiku’s motion to amend eligibility suit against Tinubu, APC

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed Nov. 20 for ruling on an application filed by the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress. Atiku Abubakar, to amend his suit against President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to Atiku, Joseph Silas, and defence lawyers adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the application. Atiku and ADC had, in the main suit, urged Justice Ekwo to disqualify President Tinubu and APC from the 2027 presidential election. They had questioned Tinubu’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by APC.

The plaintiffs, who sued the president, APC and INEC as defendants, alleged that APC submitted the president’s forged NYSC discharge certificate to INEC. They, therefore, prayed the court to compel INEC to remove Tinubu and APC’s names from the list of candidates and parties for the 2027 presidential poll. But after the defendants filed their counter affidavits, Atiku and APC, citing some irregularities, approached the court to seek an order to amend the suit. When the case was called on Tuesday, Silas informed the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing of the motion for amendment of their originating summons.

Counsel to President Tinubu, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), APC’s lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), and Alex Izinyon (SAN), counsel to INEC, told the court they were ready to proceed with the hearing. Moving the motion to amend the suit, Silas said the application was dated Sept. 4 and filed on Sept. 10. He said upon being served with the defendants’ respective counter affidavits to their application for amendment, they responded through a reply on points of law.

The lawyer, who adopted their processes, prayed the court to grant their reliefs.