Certificate forgery suit against Tinubu for hearing October 12



A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, fixed October 12 for hearing in a suit seeking disqualification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from the 2023 election over alleged certificate forgery.



Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the new date to enable parties complete filing of their processes and exchange the same, as required by law before the adjourned date.



Tinubu, who is the major defendant in the alleged certificate saga, has engaged the services of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, to fortify his defence.



At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to Action Alliance, which instituted the suit, Mr. Ukpai Ukairo, informed the court that he just received notice of preliminary objection from Tinubu, asking the court not to entertain the case against him on various grounds.



In one of the grounds, Tinubu claimed the foundation for the suit against him was rooted in the 1999 electoral forms he submitted to the then electoral body.



He also claimed the report of the Lagos State House of Assembly, which probed him on the matter, is the foundation of the fresh suit, and therefore, has become statute barred.



Ukairo informed the court that the claims of the former Lagos State governor would be adequately addressed in subsequent proceedings.



He told the judge that Tinubu’s claims, made orally by his counsel, has to be made formally and served on him to enable him respond appropriately.



While the Independent National Electoral Commission, which is the 1st defendant in the suit, sought for time to respond, the APC was not represented in court, despite proof of service of the suit on it.



The judge, accordingly, adjourned the matter till October 12, so that parties could put their houses in order for proper hearing.  Theguardianng 

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