A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned proceedings in a suit filed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election over an alleged discrepancy in his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
The matter was brought before Justice Inyang Ekwo for mention but could not proceed after Atiku’s counsel, Joseph Onu, informed the court that he had been unable to personally serve Tinubu with the originating summons.
Onu told the court that he intended to serve the President personally or obtain an order for substituted service.
Tension reportedly arose during the proceedings when counsel representing Tinubu attempted to accept the originating summons on the President’s behalf. Onu, however, declined, insisting that the defendant must be served personally or through a court-approved substituted service.
Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the case until September 28 for further mention.
Atiku filed the suit on Friday as part of his legal challenge to Tinubu’s eligibility to seek a second term in office.
The plaintiffs are questioning an alleged discrepancy between the name on the NYSC certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the President’s official name.
They claim the certificate carries the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, while the President is officially known as “Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether the alleged discrepancy in the names has any bearing on Tinubu’s constitutional qualification to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The suit adds a fresh legal dimension to the increasingly competitive race for the presidency, with Atiku and Tinubu again emerging as key contenders ahead of the 2027 election.
Tinubu defeated Atiku in the 2023 presidential election and is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Atiku is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
