By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Atiku Abubakar, Former Vice President presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 general elections, on Tuesday, sought substituted service of suit on President Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The former Vice President, through his counsel, Joseph Onu Silas, informed the Federal High Court, presided by Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo, that he has not been able to reach President Tinubu for personal delivery of Originating Summons on him in line with the provisions of the law.
He told the Judge that he needed an order of the Court for a substituted service for the suit to formally proceed without obstacles.
Counsel to President Tinubu, Omosanya Popoola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, announced his decision to accept 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.
Atiku’s lawyer, Joseph Onu Silas, 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.
There was mild drama as both senior lawyers engaged in argument and counter-argument.
Attempt by Dr Alex Izinyon SAN to convince the Court to order the service of Court process on Tinubu through his lawyer for proceedings to continue did not yield fruitful results.
Justice Ekwo, thereafter, adjourned further mention into the case to September 28.
Atiku had dragged Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the Court praying for disqualification of Tinubu from the 2027 presidential election on various eligibility grounds.
Atiku in the Court process, is urging the Court to invoke Sections 137(1)(j), 139(1)(a)(i) and 285(14)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026 to determine whether Tinubu can participate in the election.
