Supreme Court Set to Decide Tinubu’s Fate on December 16 in Fresh Suit Seeking His Removal
The Supreme Court is scheduled to determine the fate of President Bola Tinubu on Monday, December 16, in a fresh suit challenging his position as Nigeria’s leader, PulseNets has learned.
The new case, marked SC/CV/667/2023, is before the apex court, with the plaintiff urging the justices to sack Tinubu on two major allegations: his non-qualification to hold the office of President and his alleged unlawful occupation of the role contrary to Nigerian law.
PulseNets gathered that the suit was filed directly at the Supreme Court by Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, a candidate in the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP).
The defendants listed in the case include former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Tinubu, appearing as the 1st to 4th defendants, respectively.
Owuru, a British-trained lawyer called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982, claims that he won the 2019 presidential election but that his mandate was usurped by Buhari, who allegedly held the position unlawfully for eight years. He further alleged that a previous suit at the Supreme Court, which could have unseated Buhari, was derailed due to a mix-up in hearing dates.
In the new suit, Owuru is also calling for Tinubu’s disqualification, citing his reported forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States over an alleged drug trafficking-related offence. PulseNets learnt that the forfeiture forms a central plank of Owuru’s argument that Tinubu is ineligible to occupy the presidency.
Additionally, Owuru accused Tinubu of being an active agent of the CIA, which, he argued, disqualifies him from holding any public office in Nigeria.
Owuru is asking the Supreme Court to not only declare him the winner of the 2019 presidential poll but also to pronounce Tinubu unqualified and order his immediate inauguration to reclaim what he described as his “usurped mandate.”
The Supreme Court has fixed December 16 for a definite hearing of the suit, PulseNets learnt.
The hearing notice reads:
“Please kindly take note that SC/CV/667/2023 Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru & Anor VS President Muhammadu Buhari & 3 Ors at the Supreme Court of Nigeria sitting at Abuja is slated for the hearing of Motions on Monday 16/12/2024.
“Thanks, Ukor Michael Akan, for: the Hon. Chief Registrar.”
PulseNets gathered that Tinubu has been served with the hearing notice through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
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Meanwhile, there are indications that Tinubu may be represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, during the proceedings.
PulseNets also recalled that the Court of Appeal had previously fined Owuru N40 million, payable to Tinubu, INEC, and others, for filing what was deemed a frivolous lawsuit against them. At the time of filing the current suit, it remains unclear whether Owuru had settled the imposed fine.
