The Federal High Court in Abuja has authorised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to serve President Bola Tinubu with court processes in a suit challenging his eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election through the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the application for substituted service on Wednesday following a motion filed by Atiku and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The court directed the plaintiffs to serve the documents on Tinubu through the APC within seven days. The case was subsequently adjourned until September 28 for further proceedings.
Atiku’s lawyer, Olanrewaju Omotayo-Ojo, who appeared in place of Silas Onu, told the court that efforts to personally serve the President with the originating processes had been unsuccessful.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was filed by Atiku, with the ADC 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.
Atiku is asking the court to determine whether Tinubu is qualified to contest the 2027 presidential election, alleging that a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to INEC bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle.”
In an affidavit filed in support of the case, Atiku alleged that the certificate was not obtained by Tinubu and was submitted to INEC as a genuine document. These remain allegations before the court and have not been judicially established.
The case had earlier been stalled after Atiku’s legal team told the court that it had been unable to personally serve Tinubu with the originating summons. Justice Ekwo subsequently approved substituted service to allow the matter to proceed.
The court is expected to take further steps in the matter when the case returns on September 28.
