A lawsuit seeking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s removal from office has been dismissed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which said it was frivolous.
The suit, filed by Hope Democratic Party (HDP)’s presidential candidate, Ambrose Owuru, alleged American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and drug involvement in the President’s candidacy matter.
However, the apex court, in throwing out the matter, imposed a N5 million fine on Owuru.
The HDP flag bearer had petitioned the Supreme Court to sack President Tinubu from office.
He alleged that Tinubu’s alleged affiliation with the CIA rendered him unfit for the presidency.
Owuru also pointed to Tinubu’s earlier forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States (US) government in a drug-related case, as another ground for him to be disqualified from the presidency.
Owuru prayed the court to trigger Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and declare President Tinubu unfit to occupy the nation’s highest office.
The HDP candidate anchored his prayer on the allegation that President Tinubu is beholden to foreign authorities, thereby compromising his ability to effectively discharge his duties to Nigerians.
In suit number SC/CV/667/2023, he joined former President Muhammadu Buhari as a respondent, arguing that his (Buhari’s) tenure was unconstitutional.
As the HDP presidential candidate –a party recently re-registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) –,Owuru contended that he was the legitimate winner of the 2019 presidential election.
He contended that Buhari usurped his mandate and illicitly governed the country for eight years, pointing out that an earlier suit filed before the Supreme Court, seeking Buhari’s removal, was inadvertently dismissed due to a scheduling mix-up.
Owuru fingered the said technical oversight as having thwarted justice and perpetuated Buhari’s purportedly illegal occupation of State House, Abuja, as president.
Therefore , Owuru prayed the Supreme Court that after disqualifying President Tinubu, it should declare him President and order that he (Owuru) be immediately inaugurated.
In this manner, he argued, would his purportedly usurped or stolen mandate be given to him.
President Tinubu, Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, and INEC were respondents in the suit.
