The legal action instituted by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar against the eligibility of President Bola Tinubu’s participation in the 2027 Presidential election took off on a shaky foot following the inability of the former VP to serve court process on Tinubu as required by law.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, the former Vice President through his counsel, Joseph Onu Silas, lamented that he has not been able to reach President Tinubu for personal delivery of the Originating Summons in line with the provisions of the law.
He told Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo that he needed an order of the Court for substituted service for the suit to formally proceed without obstacles.
Drama, however, ensued when Omosanya Popoola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who stood for President Tinubu, announced his decision to accept the court process on behalf of his client.
Popoola SAN urged Justice Ekwo to order Atiku’s lawyer to make the court process available to him in the open court for delivery to Tinubu.
However, rather than complying, Atiku’s lawyer insisted that Popoola SAN must make a written undertaking that he has the mandate of Tinubu to represent him before he would deliver the court process to him.
At this point, the Judge, in a bid to resolve the logjam, adjourned the matter to enable Atiku put his house in order.
Attempts by Dr Alex Izinyon, SAN, to convince the court to order the service on Tinubu through his lawyer for proceedings to continue did not yield fruitful results.
In the end, Justice Ekwo shifted further mention in the case till September 28.
Recall that Atiku had dragged Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the court, praying for the disqualification of the president from the 2027 election on various eligibility grounds.
Atiku’s suit challenging Tinubu’s eligibility for 2027 election suffers setback in court