Alex Enumah in Abuja
Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, ordered service of court processes on Senator Ahmad Lawan, a former Senate President, through substituted means.
Equally to be served through a similar means is the senator for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Ireti Kingibe.
The two separate court documents are in respect of their emergence as candidates of their respective political parties for the 2027 general election.
Ibrahim issued the orders while delivering ruling in two separate motions ex parte filed by aggrieved aspirants.
While Hassan Kafayos is challenging the emergence of Lawan as candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Yobe North Senatorial District, one Mubarak Tijani is seeking the nullification of Kingibe’s candidacy of African Democratic Congress (ADC).
When the matter came up yesterday, Kafayos’ lawyer, Francis Mgboh, told the court that the application became necessary following inability of the court bailiff to serve Lawan, who is currently Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence. He said the senator had been evasive.
Mgboh said the motion sought an order permitting the claimant to effect the service of all the court processes filed in the suit against Lawan through any adult person seen in the office of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence.
Ibrahim granted the application and adjourned the matter until July 20 for hearing.
In the suit against kingibe, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Moses Awuru, claimed that all efforts to serve Kingibe were unsuccessful, hence their application for substituted means through her legislative aide.
Ibrahim consequently granted the motion ex-parte and adjourned the matter until July 21 for further mention.
In the main suit, Tijani prayed the court to nullify the purported result of the FCT Senatorial primary election that produced Kingibe as candidate of ADC for the 2027 poll.
