Atiku’s Tinubu Eligibility Suit Faces Fresh Legal Test as Court Sets September 28 Hearing
Atiku Abubakar and the ADC want to amend their suit challenging President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 eligibility, but Tinubu and the APC are urging the Federal High Court to dismiss the case, setting up a procedural battle before the substantive claims are examined.
A Suit Now Facing Two Battles
Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress have returned to the Federal High Court in Abuja with a request to amend their suit seeking the disqualification of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress from the 2027 presidential election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, centres on the plaintiffs’ allegation that a forged NYSC discharge certificate was submitted to INEC. Atiku and the ADC now want permission to correct what they describe as errors and omissions in their originating summons and supporting documents. They also want to clarify particulars of the alleged fraud and attach clearer copies of exhibits.
Tinubu and APC Challenge the Case Itself
The defendants are not waiting for the substantive allegations to be tested.
President Tinubu and the APC have asked the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that it is incompetent and that Atiku and the ADC lack the legal standing to challenge Tinubu’s candidacy in the circumstances.
They have also denied submitting any forged certificate to INEC. Their lawyers argue that because forgery is a criminal allegation, it must be established to the required standard of proof. They further contend that the plaintiffs have not produced evidence from the NYSC disclaiming the certificate attributed to Tinubu.
That means the court may have to deal with a threshold question before getting anywhere near the larger eligibility dispute: is this case properly constituted and maintainable in the first place?
The Bigger Pre-Election Question
The September 28 hearing could therefore become important beyond the immediate dispute between the political rivals.
Atiku and the ADC are asking for permission to strengthen the processes they filed, while the defendants are asking the court to shut the case down altogether. The outcome will determine whether the substantive questions surrounding the alleged certificate and Tinubu’s constitutional eligibility receive judicial examination at this stage.
For now, however, no court has found that Tinubu submitted a forged certificate. The allegation remains contested, and the Federal High Court has yet to determine the substantive merits of the suit.
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