Court adjourns suit challenging Atiku’s eligibility to vie for President

Court adjourns suit challenging Atiku’s eligibility to vie for President

By Matthew Eloyi

The Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday adjourned a suit seeking to challenge former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s eligibility to contest for the office of the president until 6 December.

Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter following inability of the parties in the suit to regularise their amended processes to accommodate the 5th defendant (Attorney-General of Adamawa), who had been joined in the case.

It was, on 27 July reported that the Adamawa State Government, through its AG, had sought an order of the court to be joined in the suit.

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The court, in the motion dated April 26 and filed 24 June granted the prayer of the AG of Adamawa to be joined in the case as 5th defendant.

Reports state that the group, an Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/177/2019 had sued Atiku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.

EMA is challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest for presidency on the grounds that he was not a Nigerian citizen by birth.

The group asked the court to hold among others, that considering the provisions of sections 25(1) and (2) and 131(a) of the constitution and the circumstances surrounding the former vice president’s birth, he cannot contest for the top office.

However, when the matter was mentioned, counsel to EMA (plaintiff), Raphael Oyewole, said though the matter was slated for hearing, he regretted that he had to file a motion for an extension of time because he had yet to serve some of the parties in the suit.

Court adjourns suit challenging Atiku’s eligibility to vie for president