A northern group, Gaskiya Youth Movement, who were also member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify Bola Ahmed Tinubu, one of the party’s presidential aspirants.
Umar Iliyasu, Suleiman Baba and Abubakar Adamu, filed the suit, June 2 on behalf of the group, have 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.
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“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.
This is the latest in the series of challenges against the presidential aspiration of Mr Tinubu.
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Last month, a member of the party wrote a petition against him on the basis of his educational qualification.
Sagir Mai Iyali, also from Kano, asked the APC presidential screening committee to disqualify Mr Tinubu, citing discrepancies in his educational qualification.
“From the information contained in prior submissions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly in 1999, Mr Tinubu presented a false claim, on oath, of his attendance at University of Chicago from 1972-1976.
“It is clear now that these claims are false. Not only was this filed in the INEC form with a declaration on oath on December 20 1999, it was also contained in an affidavit of loss sworn to before the High Court of Lagos, Ikeja Registry, December 29th 1998.
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“The latter claim that seeks to transpose history is untenable. Mr Tinubu has to show proof he attended University of Chicago or he must stand disqualified as the opposition is in possession of these same documents. Over the years, the identity of Asiwaju Bola Anmed Tinubu has been shrouded in secrecy,” the petition reads.
Although Mr Tinubu submitted information to INEC in 1999, on his education, that turned out to be false, he has said that it was done in error by his political ally who filled the form for him.
The Chicago State University graduate was later cleared by the Lagos State House of Assembly which investigated the matter.
Mr Tinubu is the frontrunner for the APC ticket although he is expected to face a stiff challenge from other aspirants including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
