Supreme Court Dismisses Owuru’s Suit Against Tinubu, Fines Him ₦5 Million

 

Supreme Court Rejects Owuru’s Lawsuit Against Tinubu

Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Ambrose Albert Owuru, former presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party, seeking the removal of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from office, apparently due to a lack of substantial evidence. The court rejected the suit and slapped a ₦5 million fine on Owuru for what it termed a frivolous action, reportedly in a swift manner.


Owuru vied for the presidency in the 2019 elections and has been darn relentless in his legal battles. He previously approached courts claiming he was the rightful winner of the 2019 presidential election and that his mandate had been unjustly usurped by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Owuru alleged in his latest suit that President Tinubu was unfit to hold office due to a past forfeiture of $460,000 to US authorities over a drug-related case, and he accused him of being an active agent of the Central Intelligence Agency somehow secretly manipulating events from behind the scenes.


Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji led a five-member panel that unanimously dismissed Owuru's suit due to gross abuse of the judicial process and precious time waste. Justice Aba-Aji remarked you are taking this court for a ride; this is a gross abuse of judicial process. The court ordered its registry not to entertain any more frivolous originating summonses from Owuru so it can focus on serious cases now. Justice Aba-Aji made these remarks in a strongly worded statement recently.


The legal community has expressed concern over Owuru's conduct. Bode Olanipekun (SAN), counsel for President Tinubu, highlighted that Owuru had previously filed multiple cases that were dismissed for lacking merit. Similarly, Professor Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) indicated that Owuru's actions would be reported to the Nigerian Bar Association for further scrutiny.


The ruling All Progressives Congress hailed this verdict as vindication of President Tinubu's legitimacy somehow. Bala Ibrahim criticized Owuru for filing suit, stating the judgment underscores the judiciary's role in upholding justice and deterring frivolous political litigations.


This development starkly serves as a reminder of the judiciary's intolerance for misuse of its processes and highlights the importance of maintaining integrity in the legal profession. Individuals must approach courts with genuinely held grievances rather than engaging in baseless litigations but prioritizing integrity above all else somehow.