Court hears suit challenging Buhari, Atiku’s poll campaign expenses June 27
By Andrew Orolua, Abuja
The Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed June 27, 2019 for the definite hearing of a suit seeking the disqualification of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his rival Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 presidential poll.
Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed on Tuesday slated the matter for hearing after the court was moved pursuant to Order 38 Rule 1 of the Federal High Court procedural rules.
When the matter was called, plaintiff’s counsel, Ezikiel Ofou informed the court that all parties have been served with the processes filed in the court and that Atiku, the PDP and INEC were not represented in court.
He then urged the court to set down the matter which was for mention for a definite hearing in line with Order 8 Rule 1 of the Federal High Court procedural rules.
The judge obliged the request and adjourned the matter till June 27, 2019 for definite hearing.
The plaintiff, Usman Ibrahim Alhaji, who contested the presidential election along with Buhari and Atiku on the platform the National Rescue Movement is praying the court to invoke Section 91 (2) of the Electoral Act, 2010 to nullify the participation of Buhari and Atiku in the poll for allegedly exceeding the maximum N1billion Naira expenses provided for in the Electoral Act.
Joined in the suit, along with President Buhari and Atiku are the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the last mention of the matter in court on March 5, 2019, the court had ordered substituted service of court processes on President Buhari and Atiku. They were consequently served through the legal department of their parties on March 22, 2019.
Specifically, the plaintiff is praying the court to set aside the participation of Buhari and Atiku on the ground that they spent more than N1 billion each as campaign expenses.
The plaintiff claims that by spending more than N1 billion each, Buhari and Atiku violated the electoral law and are liable to be removed as contestants in the said election.
