The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu has responded to the lawsuit aiming to disqualify him from the 2023 presidential campaign, according to Babatunde Ogala (SAN), head of the Tinubu Campaign Organization’s legal department.
As previously reported by InsightnaijaTV, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in an effort to prevent Tinubu from choosing Kashim Shettima as his running partner.
The PDP also requested that the court determine that Tinubu must run for office alongside Kabiru Masari, his previous running mate.
The PDP is requesting an order prohibiting the Independent National Electoral Commission from replacing Tinubu’s running mate in the original summons with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1016/2022.
The PDP has requested the court to decide whether Tinubu is bound by the nomination of Masari as his running mate under the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Sections 29(1), 31, and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable.
The party further requested that the court determine whether Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Sections 29(1), 31, and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 can be combined to determine whether the first defendant (INEC) can validly accept any change or substitution of the fourth defendant (Masari) as the running mate of the third defendants (APC).
Ogala acknowledged knowledge of the lawsuit seeking Tinubu’s exclusion from the presidential campaign during a conversation with The Punch on Thursday.
However, he claimed that Tinubu’s legal counsel had not received a notice from the court.
He said: “Yes, I’m aware of the matter. But they have not served us.”