The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit filed by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar challenging President Bola Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election over an alleged forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.

In a counter-affidavit filed through its legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Alex Izinyon, INEC described the suit as an abuse of judicial process, arguing that Atiku lacked the legal standing to institute the action and that the issues raised were hypothetical and academic.

The electoral commission, however, did not take a position on the authenticity of Tinubu’s educational credentials.

It told the court that its role is to receive documents submitted by candidates and process them in line with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and relevant regulations and guidelines.

INEC stressed that receiving a document does not amount to an administrative or judicial determination that every credential contained in it is authentic.

INEC further argued that an allegation of forgery, without proof that the certificate was actually presented and that it was forged, could not automatically trigger the constitutional disqualification under Section 137(1)(j).

It maintained that political parties nominate their candidates, while INEC receives their particulars through the prescribed nomination process.

Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had personally deposed to a 25-paragraph affidavit in support of the suit.

He alleged that Tinubu submitted a forged NYSC discharge certificate to INEC in support of his qualification to contest the presidency.

According to Atiku, the certificate submitted to INEC bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, which he said does not correspond with the President’s name.

He alleged that the certificate belongs to another person named Adekunle and accused Tinubu of presenting it as genuine.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether Tinubu and the APC should be disqualified from participating in the 2027 presidential election on the grounds of the alleged certificate forgery.

They are also seeking a declaration that Tinubu presented a forged certificate to INEC when he contested the Lagos State governorship election in 1999 and an order disqualifying him and the APC from the 2027 presidential election.

Justice Inyang Ekwo had earlier fixed September 28 for further proceedings in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026.