Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order preventing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from contesting the 2027 presidential election over allegations surrounding the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), personally appeared at the court registry on Friday to depose to an affidavit in support of the suit filed against Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC.
The case centres on an alleged discrepancy in the name appearing on an NYSC discharge certificate which Atiku and the ADC contend was submitted by Tinubu to INEC.
According to the plaintiffs, the certificate bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, rather than the President’s name, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They are asking the court to determine whether the alleged discrepancy and other claims surrounding the document constitute grounds for disqualification from the 2027 presidential election.
At the heart of the action is Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which deals with the eligibility of a person who has presented a forged certificate to INEC.
Atiku and the ADC are asking the Federal High Court to determine whether the constitutional provision applies to the circumstances alleged in their case and whether Tinubu and the APC should consequently be barred from participating in the 2027 election if the allegations are established before the court.
The former vice president said his decision to personally depose to the affidavit was informed by what he described as the constitutional significance of the matter and the need to place his name and oath behind the allegations being presented to the court.
The plaintiffs further allege that the same NYSC certificate was submitted in connection with the 2023 and 2027 presidential elections and contend that the document was not obtained by President Tinubu. These remain allegations before the court and have not been judicially established.
The suit also names INEC as a defendant, placing the electoral commission at the centre of the dispute over the documents and the President’s eligibility to contest the forthcoming election.
The legal action represents a significant escalation in the political contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Atiku now asking the judiciary to determine whether the issues raised concerning Tinubu’s certificate can legally prevent him from seeking re-election.
The court will ultimately have to consider the evidence presented by the parties and determine whether the allegations satisfy the constitutional and statutory requirements relied upon by Atiku and the ADC.
Until such determination is made, the allegations concerning the certificate remain contested claims forming the basis of the suit.
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