Nigeria’s Supreme Court has decisively rejected another attempt to unseat President Bola Tinubu, firmly dismissing a lawsuit that made extraordinary claims about the president’s alleged ties to the US Central Intelligence Agency. The court’s five-member panel, led by Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, not only threw out the case but also imposed a N5 million fine on the plaintiff, Chief Ambrose Owuru, former presidential candidate of the now-deregistered Hope Democratic Party.
The case, marked SC/CV/667/2023, stood out for its unusual allegations, with Owuru claiming that President Tinubu was working as an active CIA agent, a position he argued should disqualify Tinubu from holding Nigeria’s highest office. The plaintiff also attempted to leverage a previous controversy regarding Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 to the US government in a drug-related case from decades ago.
The Supreme Court’s stern response to the lawsuit included an unprecedented warning to its own Registry, instructing it to refuse any future frivolous originating summons from Owuru. This extraordinary step reflects the judiciary’s growing impatience with what it perceives as vexatious litigation aimed at destabilizing the presidency.
Owuru’s legal challenge was particularly notable for its attempt to invoke Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that Tinubu’s alleged foreign connections should trigger his removal from office. The inclusion of former President Muhammadu Buhari as a defendant added another layer of complexity to what the court ultimately deemed an unmeritorious case.
The unanimous decision by the five justices underscores the judiciary’s commitment to maintaining stability in Nigeria’s political system while setting a clear precedent against frivolous challenges to elected officials. The substantial fine imposed on Owuru serves both as a punishment and a deterrent to others who might consider bringing similar unfounded cases before the nation’s highest court.
This latest legal challenge comes against the backdrop of various attempts to contest Tinubu’s presidency through judicial means since his election victory. The Supreme Court’s decisive handling of the case suggests a growing determination to prevent the judicial system from being used as a tool for political maneuvering.
The case’s dismissal is particularly significant given Owuru’s status as a former presidential candidate, albeit from a party that has since been deregistered by INEC. His attempt to challenge Tinubu’s presidency through claims of foreign allegiance represents a unique approach among the various legal challenges that have been mounted against the current administration.
The court’s decision effectively closes another chapter in the ongoing series of legal challenges to Tinubu’s presidency, while sending a clear message about the consequences of bringing unfounded cases before Nigeria’s highest court. The substantial fine and the warning to the court’s registry mark a significant shift in how the judiciary deals with what it considers frivolous litigation.
As Nigeria continues to navigate its democratic journey, this ruling serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between ensuring access to justice and preventing the abuse of judicial processes. The Supreme Court’s firm stance suggests a new era in which the highest court in the land will be less tolerant of cases it deems lacking in merit or designed primarily to create political instability.
