The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Friday, has affirmed the earlier verdict of the Federal High Court in Abuja which dismissed the appeal challenging the academic qualification of President Muhammadu Buhari to contest the last presidential election.
A three-man panel of the court in a unanimous judgement dismissed the suit on the grounds that it was statute-barred and robbed the court of jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
The appeal was filed by three Nigerians – Kalu Kalu Agu, Labaran Ismail, Hassy Jyari El-Kunis.
Delivering the judgment of the Court of Appeal on Friday, Justice Mohammed Idris, maintained that the matter had become statute barred, having not been filed within the 14 days the cause of action arose as stipulated under section 285(9) of the Nigerian Constitution.
He held that the cause of action arose on October 18 2018, when Buhari submitted his Form CF001, curriculum vitae and a supporting affidavit to the Independent National Electoral Commission after he emerged as the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate in the party’s earlier primary election.
