The 2027 presidential race has taken a dramatic legal turn as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s eligibility to seek another term. Atiku, who is running under the platform of the African Democratic Congress, filed the suit alongside his party, effectively asking the judiciary to determine whether the President and the All Progressives Congress should be allowed to contest the upcoming election. The Independent National Electoral Commission has also been named as a defendant in the matter.
Reporting for Zoyols News, it is noted that the core of this legal dispute revolves around the authenticity of an NYSC discharge certificate allegedly submitted to the electoral commission. According to an affidavit deposed by the former Vice President, the document bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle,” which the plaintiffs argue does not align with the President’s recognized identity, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They contend that if a candidate presents a forged document to the electoral body, it should trigger disqualification under specific sections of the 1999 Constitution.
Beyond the certificate controversy, the legal team representing Atiku and the ADC is pushing for the court to compel the electoral commission to release Form CF001 documents submitted for both the 2023 and 2027 election cycles. The plaintiffs claim they had previously sought these certified true copies through official channels but were met with silence, necessitating this court intervention to gain access to the files.
The scope of this challenge extends even further to questioning certain provisions of the Electoral Act of 2026. The legal arguments presented by the plaintiffs suggest that some aspects of the current law unfairly restrict the ability to challenge a candidate’s qualifications before the polls. They argue that the National Assembly cannot enact legislation that hinders the enforcement of clear constitutional mandates, asserting that whenever statutory law conflicts with the Constitution, the latter must hold supremacy.
The originating summons currently before the court seeks a definitive ruling on these constitutional and statutory matters. Ultimately, the plaintiffs are aiming for an order that would disqualify both the President and his party from the 2027 ballot should the court find their allegations substantiated. As the political landscape grows increasingly heated, this court filing serves as a significant hurdle that could alter the trajectory of the upcoming presidential contest.
