Atiku’s citizenship challenged in lawsuit

Johnmary Jideobi has filed a lawsuit challenging the eligibility of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to contest in 2023 presidency.

The lawsuit was filed at the federal high court in Abuja, days after he won the PDP presidential ticket.

Johnmary claimed that Atiku is not constitutionally qualified to participate in the presidential poll.

The lawsuit listed the PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), attorney-general of the federation (AGF) as the second, third and fourth defendants.

Jideobi asked the court to determine, “Whether by the combined provisions of sections 1(1) & (2), 25 and 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), only a Nigeria citizen by birth can contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Whether by the combined interpretation of sections 1(1) & (2), 25(1) & (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of the 1st Defendant, he can be cleared by the 2nd and 3rd defendants to contest for the office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria”.