- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of the suit filed against President Bola Tinubu by the 2027 African Democratic Congress Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku had reportedly filed a suit before the court, asking the hallowed chamber to disqualify Tinubu from contesting the 2027 presidential election over alleged discrepancies in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the president.
The former vice president, in the suit filed on Friday, argued that the NYSC certificate submitted to INEC contains a name different from the President’s official name.
According to his legal counsels, the certificate bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, while the President is known as “Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.
The plaintiff asked the court to determine whether the alleged discrepancy in the name appearing on the NYSC certificate affects Tinubu’s constitutional qualification to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Meanwhile, when the case was called on Tuesday, the Atiku’s counsel, Joseph Onu, informed the court that he has been unable to serve the defendant personally and would love to do so directly or through substituted service.
Attempts by the counsel to Tinubu to receive the originating summons filed by the plaintiff were rebuffed by Onu, who insisted on serving the defendant directly or through substituted service.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, after listening to the parties, adjourned the suit to September 28 for further mention.