Atiku Citizenship: Plaintiff Vows To Appeal Judgement

The Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission of Africa says it has commenced the process of filing an appeal to the judgment of Justice Inyang Ekwo which struck out the suit challenging the Nigerian citizenship of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Justice Ekwo today struck out the suit saying the plaintiff had no right to bring the action before it.

The suit claims that the former vice president is not a Nigerian and as such not qualified to contest to be the President of Nigeria.

The group had claimed Atiku’s place of birth in 1946 (Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State ) was not part of Nigeria at the time and was not qualified to be Nigeria President based on this.

Reacting to the verdict, the plaintiff in a statement by its counsel, Akinola Oladimeji, expressed dissatisfaction with it and said he had started to file the appeal to the judgment.

The statement was made available to our correspondent by the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission of Africa.

The statement read, ” Today, the Federal High Court struck out our application to interpret Alhaji Abubkar citizenship in terms of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the ground of the locus of the plaintiff despite superior court’s decision on the legality of an Incorporated organisation to institute actions for the protection of the extant provisions of the constitution and statutes.

“While we commend the court for the wealth of industry of the presiding judge, it is quite instructive that though the matter was merely struck out, same can be refiled.

“However, our client has instructed us to appeal the said decision to the Court of Appeal.

“As a civil society organisation established for the enthronement of rule of law and supremacy of the constitution, our client is resolute on ensuring that the law of the land must be strictly adhered to by all comers which is part of the mandate of the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission of Africa.

“Our client’s case bothers within a narrow compass, which is the interpretation of the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) with respect to citizenship and qualification of any presidential candidate, viz a viz the citizenship status of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“Without prejudice to the judgment of the court, In the main time, we have commenced our client’s further brief to appeal and to file a motion for injunction pending appeal for an order of the court restraining Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from parading himself as a Nigerian citizen by birth in contravention of the extant provisions of Sections 25 and 131 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.”