Court Grants Motion to Serve Atiku Via Substituted Means on Nigerian Citizenship Suit

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday granted a motion ex-parte to serve former Vice President , Atiku Abubakar, through substituted means in a suit filed against him, alleging that he was not a citizen of Nigeria.

The suit with motion number FHA/ABJ/ CS/177/2019, which was filed on behalf of Incorporated Trustee of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, was filed by Mr. Kayode Ajulo, a lawyer based in Abuja

The suit is challenging the eligibility of Atiku to contest the 2019 presidential election on the ground that he was not a citizen of Nigeria but Cameroon.

The suit has among the defendants the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

Justice Iyang Ekwo granted the motion exparte following the prayer of the plaintiff counsel, Mr. Akinola Oladimeji, that all means to serve the defendant, the originating motion proved abortive.

He said the motion ex-parte before the court was brought in pursuant to Order 6, rule 5 of the Federal High Court.

Oladimeji who said that the motion ex-parte was supported by 11 paragraphs affidavit and a written address, prayed the court to do justice to the suit.

The judge, however, adjourned the suit until April 4, for mention.