The Supreme Court will on Monday, December 16, adjudicate a case that could determine the position of President Bola Tinubu, who is facing a new lawsuit seeking his removal from office as Nigeria’s leader.
The case, designated SC/CV/667/2023, requests the Supreme Court to remove Tinubu based on two primary allegations: his purported disqualification from holding the presidential office and the unlawful usurpation of that position.
Naija News understands that the lawsuit was initiated by Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, a candidate from the 2019 presidential election representing the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), who filed the case directly with the Supreme Court.
The defendants named in the lawsuit include 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 first through fourth defendants, respectively.
Owuru, a lawyer trained in the United Kingdom and admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1982, asserts that he was the rightful winner of the 2019 presidential election, claiming that Buhari unlawfully usurped his presidency for eight years.
He contends that the Supreme Court dismissed his previous case against Buhari, which aimed to remove him from office, due to a scheduling error in the hearing dates.
Additionally, Owuru is urging the Supreme Court to disqualify Tinubu on the grounds of forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States linked to alleged drug trafficking activities.
In addition to the purported forfeiture of funds related to drug trafficking, the former presidential candidate has also accused Tinubu of serving as an active agent of the CIA, a claim he asserts disqualifies Tinubu from assuming the presidency of Nigeria.
Following his declaration as the victor of the 2019 presidential election and the disqualification of Tinubu on the grounds of ineligibility for the presidential office, Owuru is petitioning the Supreme Court to declare him the rightful President of Nigeria and to mandate his immediate inauguration to restore his usurped mandate.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court has scheduled a definitive hearing on Monday, December 16.
The hearing notice in respect of the new suit 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.”
Naija News understands that President Tinubu has been served the hearing notice via the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
According to Daily Post, sources indicate that Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, is expected to represent Tinubu in the upcoming suit on Monday.
The Court of Appeal previously levied a fine of N40 million on Owuru, to be paid to Tinubu, INEC, and others, due to the submission of a frivolous lawsuit against them.
However, it could not be confirmed whether the fine had been paid before Owuru initiated the new lawsuit.
