The appeal filed by Hope Democratic Party presidential candidate Ambrose Owuru against the administrations of President Bola Tinubu and the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, was struck out by the Supreme Court on Monday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney General of the Federation are joined as the respondents in this appeal.
Owuru’s appeal was turned down by the lower court.
In dismissing the appeal, the appeal court found that Owuru had engaged in egregious procedural abuse by inciting the respondents with a pointless, vexatious, and vexing lawsuit.
The appellate court further stated that Owuru’s attempt to revive the Supreme Court matter that had died in 2019 was intended to put subordinate courts in direct conflict with the supreme court’s authority.
After that, the court mandated that he give N10 million to Buhari, Tinubu, the AGF, and INEC.
Owuru had argued that Buhari, the outgoing president, had infringed upon his tenure in 2019 when the Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal contesting Buhari’s designation as the election’s victor.
In addition, he requested another order barring any sort of handover inauguration that Buhari had planned or approved for May 29, 2023, until his appeal before the highest court had been decided.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Owuru approached the Supreme Court for redress.
The appellant’s attorney, Olawuyi Olaoluwa, asked the court to adjourn the hearing when it was summoned on Monday. He added that he had just called early on Monday to represent the appellant.
Justice Okoro questioned Olaoluwa about his knowledge of the case’s facts, to which he replied that he had not looked over the procedures.
AGF attorney, Adedayo Ogundele urged the court to dismiss the appeal, claiming it constituted a misuse of the legal system.
Okoro cautioned him against pursuing a similar case in the future.
He said, “There is no substance in this matter. If it were a SAN that brought this matter, he would have been fined. As a young lawyer don’t take this kind of case again. It is not good for your career.”
Olaoluwa afterward, applied to withdraw the matter.
The five-member panel led by John Okoro dismissed the appeal.
