Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s legal challenge to President Bola Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election suffered a setback on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Drivetvnews gathered that Atiku’s legal team told Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo that it had been unable to personally serve Tinubu with the originating summons as required by law. His counsel, Joseph Onu Silas, consequently requested an order permitting substituted service.
However, proceedings took an unexpected turn when Omosanya Popoola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria representing Tinubu, offered to accept the court documents on the President’s behalf.
Popoola asked the court to direct Atiku’s lawyer to hand over the originating summons to him in open court for delivery to Tinubu.
Atiku’s counsel declined, insisting that Popoola provide a written undertaking confirming that he had Tinubu’s authority to receive the process on his behalf.
Attempts by another senior lawyer, Dr Alex Izinyon, to persuade the court to allow service through Tinubu’s counsel also failed to resolve the dispute.
Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter to September 28, giving Atiku’s legal team time to address the issue surrounding service of the court process.
Atiku had instituted the suit against Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission, seeking Tinubu’s disqualification from the 2027 presidential election over alleged constitutional and eligibility issues.
