Abuja Lawyer Drags APC, Tinubu To Court Over Muslim-Muslim Ticket

A legal practitioner, primarily based in Abuja, Osigwe Momoh, has filed a lawsuit at a Federal High Court against the ruling All Progressive Congress and its presidential flag-bearer, Bola Tinubu over the choice of picking a Muslim adherent as vice presidential candidate.

The lawyer insisted that the decision to field Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates from the same religion for the 2023 election, was in breach of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The Plaintiff who is urging the court to nullify the candidacy of APC’s Presidential flag-bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and that of his running mate, Kashim Shettima for both being Muslim faithful.

The lawyer also applied for an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the national Electoral body from accepting, recognising or publishing their names as recognised candidates for the impending presidential election.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1188/2022, Mr Momoh claimed that APC’s decision to pick Tinubu and his running mate, Shettima, from the same religion, was in gross violation of the principle and the spirit of the Nigerian constitution.

The Plaintiff argued that political parties must, by virtue of Chapter Two of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), have their Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates from different sections (tribal and religious groups) of the nation.

Among other things, he is seeking a declaration that, “by virtue of Sections 14 (1) and (3), 15 and 224(a) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the defendants are bound by the principles of Chapter II of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and having the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the same religion is unconstitutional and null and void.

“That all Political Parties must, by virtue of chapter two of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), have their presidential and vice presidential candidates from different sectional (tribal and religious) groups of the nation”.

“An order nullifying the candidacy of the APC, Tinubu (1st And 2nd), same being unconstitutional and against the spirit and letters of Sections 14 (1) & (3), 15 and 224 (a) of the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the suit read in parts.