The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled November 20 to deliver its ruling on whether former Vice President Atiku Abubakar can amend his lawsuit seeking to disqualify President Bola Tinubu from participating in the 2027 presidential election.
Presiding Judge Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after hearing final arguments from all legal teams regarding the proposed modifications to the suit, which alleges that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted by the president to electoral authorities was forged.
Atiku and his co-plaintiff, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), filed the amendment application to introduce additional documentation and clarify details regarding the credentials submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Legal counsel for the plaintiffs urged the court to allow the adjustments to ensure a comprehensive hearing on the merits of the case.
Conversely, defense attorneys representing President Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and INEC petitioned the court to reject the requested amendments. They contended that altering the initial court filing at this stage would introduce fresh causes of action and bypass statutory time limits mandated by section 285(9) of the Nigerian Constitution for pre-election matters.
The November 20 decision will determine whether the court accepts the expanded filings before proceeding to hear the main substantive suit.
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