Court sets date to hear Bola Tinubu certificate forgery suit

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed a date for hearing in a suit seeking the disqualification of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from contesting the 2023 presidential election over alleged certificate forgery.

What's the date and why: Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed October 12 to enable parties in the suit complete filing of their processes and exchange same as required by law.

Tinubu tells court to reject the case: At the resumed hearing, counsel to Action Alliance, which instituted the suit, Ukpai Ukairo, informed the court that he just received the notice of preliminary objection from Tinubu asking the court not to entertain the case against him on several grounds.

Tinubu's argument: In the preliminary objection, Tinubu claimed that the foundation for the certificate forgery suit against him is rooted in the 1999 electoral forms he submitted to the then electoral body and the report of the Lagos State House of Assembly which has become statute barred.

Opposition's argument: Counsel to the Action Alliance however informed the court that the claims of the former Lagos State Governor, especially on the statute barred position would be adequately addressed in the subsequent proceedings.

What you should know: While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which is the first defendant in the suit, sought time to respond to the suit, the APC was not represented in court.

After listening to the parties, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the suit to October 12 for the parties to regularise their processes for a proper hearing of the suit.