Anxiety Rise Across Nigeria As Suit Seek Buhari's Disqualification In High Court

There is tension in the polity as the suits seeking the disqualification of the presidential candidate of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in the March 28 election. At the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Today, there are no fewer than 10 suits seeking Mr. Buhari’s disqualification from the race on different grounds. All have now been consolidated for a hearing since they are all seeking the same relief.

In one of the suits, Chukwunweike Okafor is seeking an order compelling the INEC to remove or delete Mr. Buhari’s name and that of the APC from the list of persons and political parties eligible for the office of President, because the information supplied by the APC flag-bearer in Form C.F 001 that his WAEC Certificate was with the Nigerian Army was false and should be disqualified from the race.

In another suit, Max Ozoaka asked the court to disqualify Mr. Buhari on the ground that the INEC Form Cf 001 the APC candidate submitted to INEC was incomplete and failed to accompany the form with all relevant academic credentials.

Addressing the court at the last hearing, Buhari’s team of lawyers, comprising five Senior Advocate of Nigeria, led by Wole Olanipekun, said all the suits were targeted at stopping the APC presidential flag bearer from participating in the election. The lawyers also contended that no court has the power to stop INEC from conducting the presidential election on March 28.

The suit seeking to disqualify Buhari was adjourned for final judgement tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25th. Read APC's press statement below

The All Progressives Congress has warned against any orchestrated, last-minute disqualification of its presidential candidate, Gen. Buhari, in order to pave the way for an easy victory for President Jonathan or even another postponement of the elections. 

"If it is true, as it is being widely speculated across the country, that the Jonathan Administration has procured a judgement to disqualify the APC Presidential Candidate on Wednesday, when the Federal High Court in Abuja is expected to rule on the issue, then it portends a great danger for our country'' 

''Anyone who will disqualify a presidential candidate on the eve of an election can only have one and only one purpose for that: to trigger chaos and pandemonium across the country. Perhaps this is the reason for the deployment of troops across the country to crack down on possible protests and create confusion. 

''Then, those who orchestrated the disqualification will simply use what they expect to be angry reactions nationwide as an excuse to postpone the elections again, thus triggering a constitutional crisis,the end of which no one can predict. 

''This is why we are hoping that good reason will prevail and nothing will be done, deliberately, to plunge Nigeria into crisis by the same people who have always been quick to say their political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.'' 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary 

Source: Premium Times / APC Nigeria