By Stephen Simon
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu be served within seven days with originating processes in a suit seeking his disqualification from the 2027 presidential election over an alleged forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
Presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, issued the directive on Wednesday after granting an ex-parte application for substituted service, permitting the plaintiffs to serve the President through the national headquarters of his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The application was moved by Olanrewaju Omotayo-Ojo, who held the brief for lead counsel Silas Onu, reported to be bereaved.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was instituted by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar—contesting under the flag of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—with the ADC joined as the second plaintiff. President Tinubu, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are joined as the first to third defendants, respectively.
In a 25-paragraph affidavit personally deposed to in support of the suit, Atiku alleged that the NYSC discharge certificate submitted to INEC by the President bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle” rather than “Bola Ahmed Tinubu”. The plaintiffs contend that the document belongs to another individual and allege it was tendered to the electoral umpire as genuine.
Consequently, the plaintiffs are praying the court to determine whether the submission violates Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and to issue an order disqualifying both Tinubu and the APC from participating in the 2027 presidential poll. The suit further seeks a declaration that the President previously submitted a forged credential during his 1999 Lagos State governorship bid.
The substantive allegations have not yet been determined by the court.
Meanwhile, legal representation for the President has sparked initial procedural debate. Senior Advocates of Nigeria Akin Olujinmi and Wole Olanipekun have both separately filed preliminary processes on behalf of the President.
Olujinmi argued in his objection that the suit is statute-barred, academic, and lacks merit, contending that the plaintiffs lack the locus standi to challenge documents submitted by an APC candidate. In a separate preliminary objection, Olanipekun described the action as incompetent and an abuse of court process, noting in a September 10 letter to the Deputy Chief Registrar that his client had not been formally served with the court papers.
Additionally, electoral umpire INEC has filed counter-processes challenging the competence of the suit and urging the court to dismiss it. The plaintiffs have also filed a motion seeking leave to amend their originating processes to correct minor clerical errors in the description of the relevant INEC electoral form.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter to September 28, 2026, for further proceedings and report of servic
