The Supreme Court has scheduled Monday, December 16, to rule on a fresh suit seeking the removal of President Bola Tinubu from office.
The case, marked SC/CV/667/2023, was filed by Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, a former presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) in the 2019 elections.
Owuru is asking the apex court to sack Tinubu on two main grounds: alleged non-qualification to hold the office of President and the usurpation of his purported 2019 mandate.
The defendants in the case are former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Tinubu, listed 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 was denied his mandate due to a mix-up in the hearing dates of his earlier suit at the Supreme Court.
He argues that Buhari illegally usurped his presidency for eight years.
Additionally, Owuru is seeking Tinubu’s disqualification, citing the President’s alleged forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States over a drug trafficking case.
He also accused Tinubu of being an active agent of the CIA, claiming that this disqualifies him from holding the office of Nigeria’s President.
Owuru is urging the Supreme Court to declare him the rightful winner of the 2019 presidential election and to order his immediate inauguration to reclaim what he called his “usurped mandate.”
The hearing notice issued by the Supreme Court 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.”
Reports indicate that Tinubu has been served the hearing notice through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, is expected to lead Tinubu’s defense at the hearing.
This development follows a previous Court of Appeal ruling that imposed a N40 million fine on Owuru for filing what was described as a frivolous suit against Tinubu, INEC, and others.
It remains unclear if the fine was settled before the filing of this new suit.
More updates to follow.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate