Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja for permission to amend their suit challenging President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The plaintiffs are seeking the disqualification of Tinubu and the APC from the election over an allegation that a forged National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, discharge certificate was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, also lists INEC as the third defendant.
In a motion filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo, Atiku and the ADC asked the court to grant them leave to amend their originating summons and recognise the amended processes as properly filed.
They said the amendment became necessary after they discovered errors in the description of some INEC forms attached to their affidavit, which were identified as Form CF001 instead of Form EC9A.
The plaintiffs also want to provide more specific details of the alleged fraud, include Atiku’s written deposition and attach clearer copies of documents referenced in the suit.
Tinubu and the APC have opposed the case, asking the court to dismiss it on the grounds that it is incompetent and that the plaintiffs lack the legal standing to institute the action.
In a joint counter affidavit filed on September 9, the President and APC denied submitting any forged certificate to INEC for either the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections.
They also denied submitting Form CF001 to INEC for either election as alleged by the plaintiffs. The defendants further stated that the NYSC had never denied issuing a discharge certificate to Tinubu after his service year.
In their written address, the defendants argued that allegations of forgery are criminal in nature and must be established beyond reasonable doubt.
Their counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, maintained that evidence from the institution allegedly responsible for issuing the disputed certificate would be necessary to prove that it was forged.
Olujinmi argued that Atiku and the ADC had failed to present any evidence from the NYSC denying the issuance of the discharge certificate to Tinubu.
He therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as incompetent and lacking a proper basis.
The Federal High Court has fixed September 28 for hearing in the matter.
