In a dramatic turn of events, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed a suit seeking the removal of President Bola Tinubu from office, while imposing a hefty fine on the plaintiff, Chief Ambrose Owuru.
On Monday, the apex court’s five-member panel, led by Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, ruled in favour of President Tinubu, rejecting the claims put forward by Owuru, a former presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP).
The court, in its unanimous decision, slapped Owuru with a N5 million fine, describing the lawsuit as frivolous and an abuse of the legal process. The panel also ordered that the Registry of the Supreme Court refrain from accepting any future originating summons from Owuru.
Owuru had made several explosive claims in his suit, including allegations that President Tinubu was under the control of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States. He argued that this connection made Tinubu unfit to hold the presidential office. Owuru further contended that Tinubu should be disqualified due to his previous forfeiture of $460,000 in a drug-related case in the U.S., claiming this was evidence of foreign interference in Nigeria’s political affairs.
The case, marked SC/CV/667/2023, also included former President Muhammadu Buhari as a defendant. Owuru accused Buhari of illegally holding office during his tenure and asserted that he, Owuru, was the rightful winner of the 2019 presidential election.
“I was the legitimate winner of the 2019 election,” Owuru declared. “Buhari hijacked my mandate and led the country unlawfully for eight years.”
Owuru went as far as to request that the Supreme Court remove Tinubu from office and declare him, Owuru, as the rightful president. He argued that the alleged hijacking of his mandate by Buhari should be corrected by the court, and that he should be sworn in as president to reclaim what he believed was his due.
But the court rejected his claims, questioning the merit of the case. Justice Abba-Aji, in delivering the judgment, was particularly scathing in her comments about Owuru’s conduct. She expressed disbelief that a lawyer of over 40 years’ experience would engage in such behavior, describing it as unbecoming of a legal practitioner.
“This is the third time this frivolous suit has been dismissed,” Justice Abba-Aji remarked, addressing Owuru directly. “You have abused the legal process and wasted the court’s time.”
Owuru, who had appeared in court dressed in his lawyer’s wig and gown, was even reprimanded for attempting to argue the case without complying with basic court decorum. He was ordered to step outside the bar and remove his wig and gown before addressing the court.
Despite his claims, the panel remained firm in its decision, warning Owuru that he could face further sanctions from the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC). The court’s ruling was swift and final, leaving Owuru with little option but to accept the consequences.
This latest legal battle is part of a series of failed attempts by Owuru to challenge Nigeria’s political order. Earlier, in 2023, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had fined him N40 million for filing a similar “frivolous” suit to stop Tinubu’s inauguration.
Owuru’s controversial political history stretches back to the 2019 elections, where he claimed to have won a referendum conducted by both local and international observers. He argued that he had received over 50 million votes, a figure far exceeding the total votes received by other candidates, including Buhari.
His claims were largely dismissed, with the court highlighting discrepancies and a failure to follow due process. Owuru’s petition to the Supreme Court to challenge the results of the 2019 election was also dismissed after a mix-up in hearing dates prevented him from presenting his case.
Following the dismissal of his petition, Owuru turned his attention to the 2023 presidential election. He filed yet another suit seeking to prevent Tinubu’s swearing-in, but this attempt was also rejected by the appellate court.
Despite these setbacks, Owuru has remained undeterred, continuing to push his legal challenges. However, the Supreme Court’s recent ruling sends a strong message that it will not tolerate baseless claims that waste judicial time and resources.
The case has drawn significant attention, with many legal analysts and political commentators weighing in on the ruling. Some view the court’s decision as a reminder of the importance of respecting the electoral process and the sanctity of the office of the president.
