The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned a suit filed by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar challenging President Bola Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter until September 28, 2026, after Atiku’s counsel told the court that efforts to personally serve Tinubu with the originating summons had been unsuccessful.
Atiku’s lawyer, Joseph Onu Silas, requested an order permitting substituted service to enable the case to proceed.
However, proceedings took a different turn when Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Omosanya Popoola, who appeared for Tinubu, offered to receive the court process on behalf of the President.
Popoola asked the court to direct Atiku’s counsel to hand the originating summons to him in open court for onward delivery to Tinubu.
Silas, however, declined, insisting that Popoola provide a written undertaking confirming that he had Tinubu’s authority to accept the process on his behalf.
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An attempt by another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Alex Izinyon, to persuade the court to allow service through Tinubu’s lawyer did not succeed.
Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter to September 28 to allow Atiku’s legal team to put the necessary arrangements in place.
APM Asks Tinubu to Withdraw From 2027 Race
Meanwhile, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has called on Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential election over allegations linked to a drug-related case in the United States.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Abubakar, the party also expressed confidence that the U.S. judicial system would determine the ongoing legal proceedings based on the law and available evidence.
APM alleged that Tinubu’s lawyers approached the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on August 28, 2026, seeking to stop the release of documents allegedly held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The party claimed the documents could have implications for Tinubu and questioned why his legal team would seek to prevent their disclosure if the President had nothing to hide.
APM argued that Tinubu’s withdrawal from the 2027 presidential contest would prevent further controversy and what it described as unnecessary political embarrassment for the country.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.