The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to serve President Bola Tinubu with a suit challenging his eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election within seven days.
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Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order on Wednesday after approving substituted service of the court documents on Tinubu through his political party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was filed by Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, alongside the party. Tinubu, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, are listed as the defendants.
Atiku is challenging Tinubu’s eligibility based on an allegation that a forged National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, discharge certificate was submitted to INEC. The former vice president also questioned information contained in the documents allegedly submitted by Tinubu to the electoral commission.
The suit is seeking a court determination on whether the alleged submission of a forged certificate falls within the constitutional grounds for disqualification from the presidential election.
Atiku and the ADC are also asking the court to bar Tinubu and the APC from participating in the 2027 presidential election if the allegations are established.
The case was brought before Justice Ekwo after Atiku and his legal team encountered difficulties serving the originating processes personally on Tinubu. The court had earlier fixed September 28 for further proceedings in the matter.
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The latest order allows the plaintiffs to serve the documents on Tinubu through the APC, rather than requiring personal delivery to the President. The development clears the procedural issue surrounding service of the suit and allows the case to proceed.
Meanwhile, INEC has filed processes asking the court to dismiss the case, challenging the competence of the suit and raising legal objections to the claims made by the plaintiffs.
Tinubu’s legal representation has also become an issue in the proceedings, with Senior Advocates of Nigeria Akin Olujinmi and Wole Olanipekun separately filing processes in the case on behalf of the President.
Olujinmi challenged the suit on several grounds, including the argument that the case was filed outside the time allowed by law. He also questioned Atiku’s legal standing to challenge matters connected with the APC and its candidate.
Olanipekun, who also identified himself as part of Tinubu’s legal team, filed a preliminary objection and a counter-affidavit seeking the dismissal of the case. He also informed the court that Tinubu had instructed him to lead a team of lawyers to defend his interests.
The dispute centres partly on an NYSC certificate which Atiku claims bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle” rather than the name associated with the President. The allegation has been denied by Tinubu and the APC, who have asked the court to dismiss the suit.
Atiku and the ADC have also sought permission to amend parts of their case after identifying errors in the description of some INEC forms referenced in their filings. The court is expected to continue proceedings on the matter as the parties present their respective arguments.
The case could determine whether the legal challenge to Tinubu’s eligibility will proceed on its merits ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
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