President Bola Tinubu is being sued by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential contender Atiku Abubakar for alleged NYSC certificate forgery
Atiku is requesting that Tinubu be disqualified from the 2027 presidential election in a lawsuit that was submitted to the federal high court in Abuja on Friday.
The ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku, filed the lawsuit with the party. Defendants include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In addition, Atiku physically showed up at the court registry to testify in an affidavit supporting the lawsuit, stating that the matter involved the constitutional prerequisites for holding the presidency.
The suit challenges the eligibility of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2026.
At the center of the legal argument is Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution, which stipulates that a candidate is disqualified from seeking the presidency if they present a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The plaintiffs highlight a discrepancy in the NYSC certificate forgery, noting that the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle” on the discharge certificate submitted to INEC differs from the president’s official name, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
If the accusations are proven, Atiku and the ADC want the court to decide whether Tinubu and the APC should be barred from running in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking following his deposition in the affidavit, Atiku said that the case’s constitutional ramifications were the reason he personally showed up at the registry.
“I have therefore put my name, my signature and my oath behind the facts we are presenting to the court. Now it is President Tinubu’s turn to answer them.”
Backstory…
The controversy erupted after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the personal particulars, academic credentials and other supporting documents submitted by presidential candidates and their running mates for the 2027 election.
Following massive criticism by the opposition over the absence of Tinubu’s primary school certificate, APC member Alwan Hassan defended the President, citing the Nigerian Constitution as the benchmark for determining the qualifications required of anyone seeking electoral office.
According to Hassan, the Constitution does not mandate a university degree or a specific set of school credentials beyond a basic level.
He argued that the law only requires a “school certificate or its equivalent,” which essentially means the basic ability to read and write in English.
Read Also: 2027 Candidates’ Credentials Saga-Why Tinubu Should be disqualified
