The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu be served within seven days with a suit seeking to disqualify him from contesting the 2027 presidential election over allegations surrounding an NYSC discharge certificate.
Justice Inyang Ekwo granted an application for substituted service, directing that the legal processes be served on Tinubu through his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The order followed an application argued by counsel to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Olanrewaju Omotayo-Ojo, who appeared in place of Silas Onu, who was said to be bereaved.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was filed by Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with the party joined as the second plaintiff.
Tinubu, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are listed as the first, second and third defendants respectively.
At the centre of the case is an allegation by Atiku and the ADC that an NYSC discharge certificate allegedly submitted to INEC in connection with Tinubu’s presidential candidacy bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, rather than the President’s publicly used name, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a 25-paragraph affidavit personally sworn to by Atiku, the former vice president alleged that the certificate was not obtained by Tinubu and that its submission amounted to the presentation of a forged certificate.
The allegation has not been established by the court, which is being asked to determine the authenticity of the disputed document and its legal implications for Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 election. Previous election litigation has also involved documents bearing variations of Tinubu’s name, including an NYSC discharge certificate admitted in evidence during the 2023 presidential election petition proceedings.
INEC Challenges Suit
The case has already drawn opposition from INEC, which has filed processes asking the Federal High Court to dismiss the suit.
The electoral commission argued that an allegation of certificate forgery, without proof establishing both the presentation of the document and the alleged forgery, does not by itself trigger the constitutional consequence being sought by the plaintiffs.
Tinubu and the APC have also filed a joint response seeking dismissal of the case and denying that any forged certificate was submitted to INEC for either the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections.
The plaintiffs have subsequently sought permission to amend parts of their originating processes, citing errors in the description of some INEC forms attached to their affidavit.
The court had earlier fixed September 28 for further proceedings in the matter.
Lawyers Enter Appearance for Tinubu
The case has also generated a separate issue over legal representation for the President.
Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujinmi, and former Nigerian Bar Association President, Chief Wole Olanipekun, have separately filed processes in the matter on behalf of Tinubu.
The development has raised questions over whether the two senior lawyers are acting jointly or whether there is a dispute over who has been formally briefed to represent the President.
The substantive issues before the court remain unresolved, including whether the disputed NYSC certificate was submitted by Tinubu to INEC, whether it is forged and, if so, whether the circumstances satisfy the constitutional requirements for disqualification from the 2027 presidential election.
