Atiku Drags Tinubu To Court, Seeks Disqualification From 2027 Presidential Election
The 2027 presidential contest has taken a contentious turn, with former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, dragging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the Federal High Court in Abuja in a bid to stop him from contesting the election.
Atiku on Friday personally appeared at the registry of the Federal High Court, Abuja, where he deposed to an affidavit in support of a suit challenging Tinubu’s qualification to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The action, instituted by Atiku and the ADC against Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), invokes, among other provisions, Sections 137(1)(j), 139(1)(a)(i) and 285(14)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
At the heart of the action is Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution, which provides that a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has presented a forged certificate to INEC.
The suit specifically asks the court to determine whether Tinubu and the APC should be disqualified from the 2027 presidential election over the plaintiffs’ allegation that Tinubu presented a forged NYSC certificate to INEC in connection with the 2023 and 2027 presidential elections.
Speaking after personally taking the oath, Atiku said his presence at the court registry was deliberate.
qualification of a candidate at pre-election stage and the removal of qualification as a ground for questioning an election as envisaged by Section 139(a)(i) of the Constitution which empowers the National Assembly to make laws that allows the questioning of whether a person elected into the office of President is qualified.
Their argument is that legislation cannot be used to shut the door against enforcement of an express constitutional provision. They contend that where an Act of the National Assembly conflicts with the Constitution, the Constitution must prevail.
“This case therefore raises a fundamental question for our democracy,” Atiku said.
am prepared to be held accountable for what I have placed before the court. President Tinubu should equally be prepared to answer the case against him before the law.”
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Edwin Inegedu, SAN, and Joseph Silas Onu, expressed confidence in the case. Speaking for the legal team, Onu said they had carefully reviewed the law and placed their arguments before the court, adding that they were prepared to confront the defendants’ case once served.
“We are confident that justice will prevail. This case presents an important opportunity to further develop Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence,” he added.
“This is not about privilege, personalities or presidential power. It is about one Constitution and one standard for every Nigerian.
“Nobody is above the Constitution — not Atiku Abubakar, not Bola Tinubu, and certainly not the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”