Supreme Court Fines Ex-Presidential Candidate N5m Over Frivolous Lawsuits Against Tinubu

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has imposed a hefty fine of N5 million on Ambrose Owuru, a former presidential candidate, for filing frivolous lawsuits against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The apex court dismissed Owuru’s recent petition, which sought Tinubu’s removal as Nigeria’s president, labeling it as baseless and a gross abuse of judicial processes.

Owuru, who contested the 2019 presidential election under the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), was also barred from filing further frivolous lawsuits at the Supreme Court. Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, delivering the court’s decision, condemned Owuru’s actions, emphasizing that his conduct was unbecoming of a lawyer with over 40 years of experience.

Key Court Proceedings

During the proceedings, Owuru—who appeared in court dressed in his legal wig and gown—was instructed to remove them before presenting his case. When questioned, Owuru failed to provide convincing reasons for repeatedly filing dismissed suits. Justice Aba-Aji warned him of potential referral to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for his actions.

Bode Olanipekun (SAN), representing Tinubu, highlighted Owuru’s history of filing baseless suits, which had previously been dismissed. He noted the poor structure of Owuru’s latest petition, which made it difficult to understand.

Similarly, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) assured the court that Owuru’s behavior would be reported to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for disciplinary action.

Allegations Against Tinubu

Owuru’s dismissed suit claimed that Tinubu was unqualified to hold office due to two main allegations:

Forfeiture of $460,000 in the U.S.: Owuru accused Tinubu of involvement in a drug-related case, leading to the forfeiture of the sum.
Alleged CIA Affiliation: He alleged that Tinubu acted as an agent of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), violating Nigeria’s constitutional provisions for public office holders.

Owuru also argued that a mix-up in hearing dates by the Supreme Court during a previous case had denied him justice. He further prayed for the court to declare him Nigeria’s rightful president and order his immediate inauguration.

Previous Court Sanctions

This is not the first time Owuru has faced legal penalties for his court actions. The Court of Appeal had earlier fined him N40 million for filing frivolous suits against Tinubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and others.

Supreme Court Verdict

Justice Aba-Aji firmly dismissed Owuru’s suit, warning against the misuse of court processes and emphasizing the importance of upholding the legal profession’s integrity. The N5 million fine serves as both a penalty for his misconduct and a deterrent against future abuse of judicial resources.