ABUJA – The Incorporated Trustees of Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative (ASRADI), a civil society organization, has taken legal action against President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to prevent his scheduled swearing-in on May 29.
ASRADI filed a motion ex-parte at the Federal High Court in Abuja, alleging that Tinubu lied under oath regarding his possession of a Guinean Passport.
In its suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/669/2023, ASRADI requested an urgent intervention from the court and sought permission to apply for an order of mandamus against the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The order would compel the IGP to investigate Tinubu for perjury if found guilty of providing false information about his Guinean citizenship.
According to ASRADI, Tinubu failed to disclose his dual citizenship in Form EC9 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the presidential election held on February 25.
The organization argues that this omission amounts to perjury and emphasizes that it only became aware of the alleged offense on April 16, 2023, through an online publication.
ASRADI claims that its request for police investigation into the matter was ignored, prompting the decision to seek legal intervention.
The group attached a letter sent to the IGP on May 8 as evidence in support of its suit.
Represented by lawyer Chukwunweike Okafor, ASRADI is seeking a declaration from the court that the IGP is constitutionally and statutorily obligated to investigate Tinubu for perjury.
They also seek an order of mandamus compelling the IGP to investigate Tinubu’s declarations about his Guinean citizenship and refer him to the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution if found guilty of perjury.
ASRADI further requested that Tinubu be investigated and prosecuted for perjury before his scheduled swearing-in as President on May 29, 2023.
The affidavit of urgency, filed by ASRADI’s Executive Director, Mr. Adeolu Oyinlola, states that the ex-parte motion should be heard and determined before Tinubu’s inauguration as President.
No date has been set for the court hearing at this time.
