Adeniyi Ademola, justice of the federal high court in Abuja, has adjourned all cases in the suits brought against Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, to April 22 and 23.
Ademola also dismissed the application for joinder brought by other two parties, stating that they had no business in the case.
About 10 suits – now consolidated – challenging the eligibility of Buhari to contest the 2015 presidential election have been filed in court.
On Tuesday, the court had set aside ruling on the joinder to the suit brought against Buhari by Chukwuwinke Okafor asking the court to disqualify the APC presidential candidate on the ground that he did not tender his academic credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while applying for nomination to contest the election.
Advertisement
Mike Ozekhome, counsel to Okafor, had argued that the parties seeking to join the suit were interlopers and he urged the court to grant accelerated hearing to his case.
Consequently, the court on Wednesday ruled that the parties seeking to join the suit had not business with it.
Lateef Fagbami, counsel to APC, and Abubakar Malaki, counsel to Buhari, are asking the court to dismiss the suit against their client on the ground that it lacks the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Advertisement
The court has fixed April 22 and 23 for hearing of the suits.
There had been speculations that Buhari would be disqualified before the March 28 presidential election. However, the decision of the court has somewhat doused the speculations and agitations, especially by the APC, which accused President Goodluck Jonathan of plotting to use the court to stop Buhari and eventually scuttle the election.
INEC, which is also a defendant in the suit, is seeking to stop any move that may lead to an abortion of the elections.
Advertisement
5 comments
YIPEEEE! SHAME TO PDP
Sai Buhari… Sai Buhari… Sai Buhari all the way. I will say it here and now, when General Muhammadu Buhari wins the elections on March 28, expect some ministry to experience fire outbreaks, e.g. NNPC, CBN, MinofFinance and some other parastatals. Reason being that, they will want to cover there dirty tracks and illegal syphoning of public funds. For the first time in Nigeria history, the incumbent party is acting like the opposition party. What pains me is that, majority of Nigerians wants CHANGE, but refuses to accept this despite they can all see the signs. But the general should also remember that, if after 4 years of their tenure, there’s no meaningful development, improvement in the average life of a Nigerian, come 2019 by the special grace of God, the power of our vote will CHANGE them too. It is high time our leaders realize that the power of vote lies in our hands not them.
change is imminent #vote APC VOTE CHANGE!
Postponing the evil day.
BH must produce his certificate. And come 28th he will be disgraced.
You keep chanting CHANGE but in the real sense of it you are actually clamoring for severe hardship and under development cos those the General has surrounded himself with are the worse politicians this country has ever produce. i sorry for this country if Buhari wins this election which i never see him win in the first instance anyways. #TheGEJWeKnow #HeWeShallVoteFor