Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja for permission to amend their suit seeking to disqualify President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress from participating in the 2027 presidential election.
The plaintiffs are challenging Tinubu’s eligibility over an allegation that a forged National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, has INEC as the third defendant.
In a motion filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo, Atiku and the ADC requested leave to amend their originating summons and for the court to deem the amended processes as properly filed and served.
They explained that the proposed amendment became necessary after they discovered errors in the description of some INEC forms attached to their affidavit. According to them, certain documents were mistakenly identified as Form CF001 instead of Form EC9A.
The plaintiffs also said the amendment would enable them to provide further particulars of the alleged fraud, incorporate Atiku’s written deposition and attach clearer copies of some exhibits referenced in the case.
Tinubu and the APC have opposed the suit, urging the court to dismiss it on the grounds that it is incompetent and that Atiku and the ADC lack the legal standing to institute the action.
In a joint counter-affidavit filed on September 9, the President and APC denied submitting any forged certificate to INEC in connection with either the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections.
The defendants also denied submitting Form CF001 to INEC for either election, as alleged by the plaintiffs. They maintained that the NYSC had never disowned the discharge certificate issued to Tinubu after his service year.
In their written address, the defendants argued that the allegation of forgery constitutes a criminal allegation and must therefore be established beyond reasonable doubt.
Their counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, submitted that evidence from the institution alleged to have issued the disputed certificate would be necessary to establish that the document was forged.
Olujinmi argued that Atiku and the ADC had failed to present any evidence from the NYSC disclaiming the issuance of the discharge certificate attributed to Tinubu.
He consequently urged the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as incompetent and unsupported by sufficient legal or evidential grounds.
The Federal High Court has fixed September 28 for hearing in the matter.
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