A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit challenging former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s citizenship.
‘The Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, who filed the lawsuit in court, stated that Atiku is not a Nigerian by birth and so ineligible to run for president of the country.
The lawsuit names the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami as co-defendants.
While Malami, in an affidavit to support the suit, had said Atiku is not a Nigerian citizen by birth and therefore, not eligible to run for president in Nigeria, Justice Inyang Ekwo who struck out the lawsuit on Monday February 21, held that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.
Ekwo described the plaintiff as a “busy body” and also said the NGO, having been registered under Company and Allied Matters Act with and special functions, cannot jump into public interest litigation that is not part of its objectives.
He cautioned NGOs to refrain from filing frivolous applications targeted at harassing politically-exposed Nigerians.