Suit Seeking To Disqualify Atiku From Contesting 2023 Presidency Emerges

A fresh suit seeking the disqualification of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the 2023 presidential election has emerged.

Recall that Atiku polled 371 votes to emerge as presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party at the party’s convention held on Saturday.

The fresh suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/751/2022, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday by a constitutional lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi.

According to Mr. Johnmary, Atiku is not constitutionally qualified to participate in the presidential contest.

The plaintiff posed two legal questions for the court to determine, after which he sought for seven principal reliefs against Atiku, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who were cited as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter.

Specifically the plaintiff asked the court to determine “Whether by the combined provisions of sections 1(1) & (2), 25 and 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), only a Nigeria citizen by birth can contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

“Whether by the combined interpretation of sections 1(1) & (2), 25(1) & (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of the 1st Defendant, he can be cleared by the 2nd and 3rd Defendants to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”

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