Atiku not constitutionally qualified to participate in the presidential contest, lawyer tells court

A fresh suit seeking the disqualification of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the 2023 presidential election has emerged.

The PUNCH had reported that Atiku polled 371 votes to emerge as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party at the party’s convention held on Saturday.

The fresh suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/751/2022, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday by a constitutional lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi.

The plaintiff argued that Atiku is not constitutionally qualified to participate in the presidential contest.

He sought seven principal reliefs against Atiku, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission who were cited as first, second and third defendants in the matter; and the Attorney-General of the Federation was also joined as the fourth defendant.

The plaintiff asked the court to determine “Whether by the combined provisions of sections 1(1) & (2), 25 and 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), only a Nigeria citizen by birth can contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

“Whether by the combined interpretation of sections 1(1) & (2), 25(1) & (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of the 1st Defendant, he can be cleared by the 2nd and 3rd Defendants to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”