A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 12 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.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date to enable parties in the suit complete filing of their processes and exchange same as required by law.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to Action Alliance, which instituted the suit, Mr 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.
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 statue barred.
Counsel to the Action Alliance however informed the court that the claims of the former Lagos State Governor, especially on the statue barred position would be adequately addressed in the subequent proceedings.
While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which is the first defendant in the suit, sought for 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 parties to regularise their processes in order for proper hearing of the suit.