2015 polls: Suit challenging Buhari’s eligibility withdrawn

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck out a suit brought before it by Chukwuemeka Okafor challenging the eligibility of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, to contest the 2015 presidential election.

Ademola Adeniyi, the presiding judge, struck out the suit after the plaintiff informed him of his decision to withdraw the case.

Chukwunweike Okafor had filed a suit seeking the disqualification of Buhari on the basis of his alleged failure to present his certificate of academic qualifications to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

When the matter was called up yesterday, counsel to the plaintiff, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), informed the court about a notice for discontinuance which was filed before the court.

According to Ozekhome, he had to advice the plaintiff in the matter to discontinue the case so as not to distract the incoming government, as there are enormous national problems and issues for the government to handle upon resumption of office.

On why he did not inform the court about the military officials’ confirmation of Buhari’s certificate, Ozekhome said “under section 31 of the Electoral Act, the submission of certificate ended on the 20th of December, 2014, after that, no further document could be put in by any party.

“I believe that we should help to strengthen democracy, when the president conceded defeat, I felt happy, I personally feel that the president-elect should not have any distractions because the expectations of Nigerians are very high, even beyond the roles, so I believe the president-elect should be given a clean slate, tabula rasa, without any distraction whatsoever because he is a human being.”