By Chris Njoku
A Youth group in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) known as Gaskiya movement, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify Bola Tinubu, one of the party’s presidential aspirants. Umar Iliyasu, Suleiman Baba and Abubakar Adamu, on behalf of the group, filed a suit on June 2 with the APC, Mr Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.
Mr Iliyasu, who claims to be APC member in Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State, in the affidavit he deposed to support the suit, stated that Mr Tinubu’s educational history is not consistent with the educational history submitted in 1999 when he contested for Lagos State governor. The court document also claimed that Mr Tinubu has discrepancies in his date of birth. In addition, questions were also raised on the state of origin of the former governor.
In the affidavit, Mr Iliyasu said the March 29, 1952, date on the form filled by Mr Tinubu is not his real age. He posited that the aspirant misled the electoral body in the forms filled.
“The second defendant presented an incorrect educational history and inconsistent date of birth in his forms and ought to be disqualified from seeking or contesting for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 1999 (as amended).
“Except this court makes an order for disqualification of the 2nd defendant from contesting the primary election of the APC presidential election and restrain the 3rd defendant from presenting him for election, the 2nd defendant will seek and present himself for election, contrary to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And the plaintiff and 1st defendant will not be in a position to enforce the violation of the constitution against the 2nd defendant.”
Consequently, the plaintiff, among other prayers, asked the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining Mr Tinubu from participating or presenting himself in any primary elections with any political party in Nigeria to be nominated as a presidential aspirant for the 2023 elections. Mr Tinubu has 30 days to respond to the originating summon.
