News
2027: Atiku Sues Tinubu, Seeks Disqualification Over Alleged Forged NYSC Certificate
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dragged President Bola Tinubu before the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking to disqualify him from contesting the 2027 presidential election over an alleged forged National Youth Service Corps certificate.Atiku personally appeared at the court registry on Friday to depose to an affidavit supporting the suit instituted against Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission .The suit invokes Sections 137(1)(j), 139(1)(a)(i) and 285(14)(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.At the centre of the case is Section 137(1)(j), which provides that a person shall not be qualified for election as President if he has presented a forged certificate to INEC.Atiku, the presidential candididate of the African Democratic Congress and the party are asking the court to determine whether Tinubu should be disqualified from the 2027 presidential election over the allegation that he submitted a forged NYSC certificate in connection with his presidential candidacy.According to Atiku’s affidavit, the NYSC discharge certificate allegedly submitted to INEC bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, rather than the President’s name, “Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”The plaintiffs further allege that the certificate was not obtained by Tinubu and that the same document was submitted in connection with the 2027 presidential election.The allegations have not been judicially established, and the court is now being asked to determine the authenticity and legal implications of the disputed document.Atiku also wants INEC compelled to produce Tinubu’s Form CF001 submitted in connection with the 2023 and 2027 presidential elections.The former vice president said he had previously sought certified true copies of the relevant documents from INEC but had not received them before commencing the action.Explaining his decision to personally appear at the court registry, Atiku said the case was too important to be handled casually.“I came here personally because the issues before the court go to the heart of our Constitution and the integrity of the Office of President.“I have therefore put my name, my signature and my oath behind the facts we are presenting to the court. Now it is President Tinubu’s turn to answer them,” he said.Atiku said the case was not intended to be determined through political arguments or social media exchanges, but through evidence presented before the judiciary.“We are not asking Nigerians to decide this matter on social media, and we are not asking INEC to become a court.“We are asking the institution holding the records to produce them and the judiciary to examine the evidence and pronounce on it,” the statement read in part.The ADC presidential candidate also questioned whether the names appearing on the disputed certificate could legitimately be attributed to Tinubu.“If the certificate belongs to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, let that be established before the court. If ‘Tinubu Bola Adekunle’ and ‘Bola Ahmed Tinubu’ are one and the same person for the purpose of that certificate, let the evidence establish it,” he added.The suit also challenges provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 which Atiku and the ADC contend restrict the ability of candidates or political parties to challenge the qualification of presidential candidates at the pre-election stage.
They further argue that the legislation cannot prevent the enforcement of constitutional provisions concerning presidential qualification.Their position is that where an Act of the National Assembly conflicts with the Constitution, the Constitution must prevail.“This case therefore raises a fundamental question for our democracy.“Can an Act of the National Assembly be used as a shield against an express provision of the Constitution? Can we write into ordinary legislation an escape route from a constitutional standard applicable to everyone seeking the presidency? Our position is that the Constitution remains supreme,” he argued.The plaintiffs are consequently asking the Federal High Court to determine whether the statutory restrictions complained of can prevent them from invoking Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution.Among the reliefs sought is an order disqualifying Tinubu and the APC from participating in the 2027 presidential election if the allegations against them are established.Atiku argued that the issue of certificate authenticity should be subject to the same standard applicable to ordinary Nigerians.“The presidency is not an immunity certificate against constitutional scrutiny,” he said.He also called on INEC to demonstrate its neutrality by producing the relevant electoral records.“INEC is holding the documents. The court has the jurisdiction to examine the issues. President Tinubu has the opportunity to defend himself. That is the constitutional process, and nobody should be afraid of it,” Atiku said.He added that Nigerians should know the eligibility of presidential candidates before voting.“The 2027 election must begin with clarity about the qualification of those seeking the presidency. Nigerians should not be asked to vote first and investigate later,” he further saidCounsel to the plaintiffs, Edwin Inegedu, SAN, and Joseph Onu Silas, expressed confidence in the case.Silas said the legal team had reviewed the relevant law and presented its arguments before the court, adding that they were prepared to respond to the defendants’ case once they were served.“We are confident that justice will prevail. This case presents an important opportunity to further develop Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence,” he said.The legal challenge adds another potentially significant dispute to the political contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Atiku seeking to place Tinubu’s qualification and the handling of his electoral records directly before the judiciary.The case will now put the spotlight on the disputed NYSC document, INEC’s custody of the relevant nomination records, and the constitutional limits of legislation governing pre-election challenges.Atiku said the case was ultimately about equal application of the law.“Nobody is above the Constitution, not Atiku Abubakar, not Bola Tinubu, and certainly not the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement added.
Headline
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and lawyer, Kalu Kalu, has petitioned the European Union Commission against President Bola Tinubu over alleged certificate forgery and violation of Nigeria’s constitutional order.
Submitting the petition in Brussels on Friday, Kalu accused Tinubu of presenting forged academic credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He further alleged that the president failed to disclose his primary and secondary school history, in breach of Section 137 of the 1999 Constitution.
Kalu stated:
“President Bola Tinubu has suspended the constitutional order in Nigeria because of his forged academic credentials submitted to INEC for the 2027 general elections. Section 137 clearly says that if you present a false certificate to INEC, you are not qualified to run.”
He argued that Tinubu’s alleged actions amounted to subversion of Nigeria’s constitutional provisions, claiming the president had imposed himself on the country by capturing political power.
The petition comes amid growing controversy over Tinubu’s academic records, with opposition figures insisting that the matter undermines Nigeria’s democratic process.
The MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has called for sustained partnership and support of customers and residents to improve electricity service delivery.
The Managing Director of MainPower, Dr Ernest Mupwaya, made the appeal on Friday in an opening address at a two-day Customers’ Engagement and On-the-Spot Complaint Resolutions Exercise in Nsukka, Enugu State.
Represented by the the Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Ikenna Akabogu, the managing director said that the engagement was part of the
company’s strategy to regularly interface with customers.
Mupwaya said that the engagement was meant to keep customers abreast of developments in its operations, listen to their concerns and obtain feedback on its service delivery.
According to him, electricity distribution is ultimately about the people and businesses the company serves.
He said, “As part of our Business Transformation Plan (BTP), MainPower has made a deliberate decision to engage our customers every quarter, either physically or through online platforms.
“We do not want to engage customers only when there is a complaint or crisis. Regular dialogue must become part of the way we do business.
“The objective of the engagement is to hear first-hand your concerns and expectations, provide an onsite one-stop shop for resolving lingering issues, and update you on our plans for improving electricity supply and service delivery.”
The MainPower boss said that the engagement would build a stronger relationship between the company and its customers through communication, mutual accountability, trust and measurable improvements in service delivery
He said the company had a responsibility to provide reliable electricity supply, accurate billing and responsive customer service, while customers also had a responsibility to pay their electricity bills promptly.
Mupwaya explained that revenue generated from electricity consumption enables the company to maintain transformers, replace damaged equipment and invest in improving power supply.
“The company’s ambition is to build a customer-focused, professionally managed and technology-driven organisation, with strategic priorities that include improving supply reliability, accelerating metering, strengthening the distribution network, improving customer service, reducing losses and deploying technology.”
On metering, Mupwaya said MainPower was targeting 100 per cent metering of its customers by 2027, stressing the company’s desired to ensure that every customer had an appropriate meter and pays only for electricity actually consumed.
In his remarks, the Chief Technical Officer, Mr Chimezie Chukwu, highlighted some of the company’s initiatives aimed at improving the quality and reliability of electricity supply to customers.
Chukwu disclosed plans for the installation of an additional 15MVA power transformer to boost supply and support the industrialisation of Nsukka and its general area.
He stressed on the Quick Response Team (QRT), introduced by the company to facilitate the prompt resolution of faults.
He urged customers to take advantage of the initiative by contacting the dedicated line or the company’s call centre whenever they experience supply-related challenges so they can be tracked and monitored.
The Head of Health, Safety and Environment, Dr. Francis Iwu, sensitised customers on unsafe acts and conditions prevalent within the electricity network, emphasising the need for residents to prioritise safety.
Iwu expressed concern over what he described as the increasing violation of power-line rights of way in Nsukka, warning that the practice posed serious risks to residents.
The Abia State University, Uturu, has placed an Economics lecturer, Prof. Nnamdi Nwaeze, on immediate suspension over comments he made about the earnings of university professors.
Nwaeze, a lecturer in the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, reportedly made the remarks in posts published on his Facebook account.
In the posts, he alleged that some professors at the university take home less than N400,000 monthly.
He also compared the earnings of the academics with those of commercial tricycle operators, popularly known as Keke riders, claiming that some riders could earn more cumulatively than university professors.
The university authorities described the lecturer’s social media comments as damaging to the interests of the institution.
The suspension was announced in a statement issued by the university’s Public Relations Officer and Deputy Registrar, Chijioke Nwogu.
Management also disclosed that it had constituted a panel to investigate the allegations and examine the circumstances surrounding the lecturer’s statements.
The outcome of the investigation is expected to determine the university’s next course of action.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The crisis over who is the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress( NDC) for Anaocha 1 state Constituency in Anambra state has deepened following confirmation that neither incumbent Lawmaker Hon Nkechi Ogbuefi nor Chief Azubuike Okoye is the candidate of the party .
The party in the state yesterday confirmed that Mr Kevin Alike is the candidate of the party for Anaocha Constituency 1 and his name has already been uploaded at the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Further more, the candidate for Anaocha Constituency 2 is yet undecided as the battle has remained unsettled.
Recall that Hon Nkechi Ogbuefi had accused Chief Azubuike Okoye of parading himself as the candidate of the party contending that as an incumbent Lawmaker, the party had granted all serving lawmakers in the party waver during the conduct of the party primary elections upon which she emerged as candidate.
But Hon Azubuike Okoye had dismissed the allegation adding that it is the duty of INEC to make public who the candidate is and that he would not join issues with the reports on Social Media.
Ogbuefi had told reporters that when she reported the matter to the state Chairman of the party Chief Ikem Uzoezie he told her to ignore the claim that Mr Peter Obi personally submitted her name as candidate.
But in a turn of events, the Chairman Ikem Uzoezie told reporters that the candidate for Anaocha 1 state Constituency is Mr Kevin Alike whose name has been uploaded into the portal of INEC.
Uzuezie further stated that the case of Anaocha Constituency 2 is yet to be decided yet adding that the two aspirants for the ticket is Hon Azubuike Okoye and Eric Maduagwu and they when all arrangements are concluded, the candidate for Anaocha 2 Constituency would be made public.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
About 15 persons have reportedly died, while more than 200 buildings are said to be at risk of collapse as a result of extensive sand mining activities in Uga Community, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The sand mining business has continued to worsen gully erosion in the community, which is already known to be one of the erosion-devastated areas of the state.
More worrisome is the alleged destruction of three newly constructed roads in the area by heavy-duty trucks that frequently visit the mining sites to evacuate sand, a development residents said was threatening road infrastructure in the community.
Recall that the Anambra State Government, through the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Clem Aguiyi, had banned sand excavation in some parts of the state, particularly in Aguata, Orumba North and Orumba South Local Government Areas.
The government also established a task force to monitor sand mining activities in the affected communities, warning that it would not tolerate activities capable of worsening environmental degradation. The government had also lamented that the landmass of Anambra State was shrinking daily due to the menace of gully erosion.
However, residents of Uga Community alleged that some youths had been engaged by sand miners to create insecurity in parts of the community, thereby causing division within the Town Union Youth Association.
When reporters visited Umudimishi Village in Uga, residents protested and appealed to Governor Charles Soludo to visit the area on a fact-finding mission and take urgent steps to halt the activities of the sand miners.
Speaking, the Chairman of Umudimishi Village, Uga, Nze Jude Ibeabuchukwu Ugochukwu, said the community had battled gully erosion for decades.
He said, “We have been victims of gully erosion. Since I was born, I grew up to see gully erosion in my town.
“We have about five gully erosion sites in my area, including one that came from our neighbouring town, Umueze, another one in our town and others in different locations.
“We have been witnessing gully erosion for over 37 years now, but successive governments and the villagers have been working on the gullies.”
Ugochukwu lamented that the effect of sand mining had also discouraged some youths from engaging in legitimate businesses and trades.
“Every morning, they visit the mining sites because of the pittance they get from there, and they don’t want to be useful to themselves.
“The mining has gotten to residential areas where people are living, such as Umudimishi, Awarasi and Agbakuwa villages.
“So far, about 200 buildings are now at risk of gully erosion, and before the end of this year, or within the next five months, at least 70 houses could be destroyed by gully erosion caused by sand mining activities in our town,” he said.
He maintained that the land belonged to the town and alleged that the community did not authorise anyone to carry out sand mining in the area.
According to him, the initial miners, known as Morning Star, used to excavate sand manually before the introduction of excavators.
“Today, the excavators pay N400 per load and some money to the youths of our community,” he alleged.
The community leader further lamented that the sand mining activities had damaged roads constructed by the Soludo administration, alleging that the heavy trucks conveying sand had weakened the newly constructed roads.
“Roads such as the Obizi Road, Umueze Road, Ugwu-Onyeocha Road to Nkwo-Uga and Awarasi are being destroyed.
“We call on the government to visit these areas with a fact-finding team to assess the level of environmental degradation as well as the destruction of the newly constructed roads,” he said.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Youths in Umudimishi Village, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Agbara, claimed that more than 15 people had died in connection with activities at the mining sites, while some were allegedly killed by gunmen.
He said the youth leadership had been trying to discourage young people from depending on sand mining as a source of livelihood.
“We have been fighting to ensure that our youths get into something meaningful and do not depend on sand mining.
“They don’t want to learn any trade. All they do is go to the beach site to mine sand.
“Some of our youths have formed a parallel youth organisation against the official youth organisation.
“They call themselves Ekwere-Kwesike. They pay them N1,000 for each tipper load, which they share every day,” he alleged.
Agbara said the mining activities had claimed the lives of several youths in the community, particularly when mining pits collapsed.
“This beach-site business has killed a lot of youths in the town because sometimes the sites collapse while the youths are working there.
“We have had about seven youths die on the site. Sometime ago, it killed four other people at the same time.
“Also, there was an incident where some gunmen stormed the site and opened fire on the people working there and killed about three of them.
“The total number of deaths is about 15. That is why we are calling on the government to come and help us. We are ready to take the government to the affected areas,” he lamented.
The residents urged the state government to urgently investigate the allegations, assess the extent of environmental degradation and take steps to protect lives, homes and road infrastructure in the affected parts of Uga Community.
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