With just three days to the inauguration, a federal high court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to stop the swearing-in of Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), as Nigeria’s president.
With 8,794,726 votes, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Tinubu the winner of the presidential poll held on February 25.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/ 657/2023, the plaintiffs — Praise Isaiah, Paul Audu and Anongu Moses — alleged that Tinubu lied on oath in his form EC9 that he was not a citizen of another country. They also alleged that the president-elect lied on oath about his age.
Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling on Friday, held that the suit by the trio of Praise Ilemona Isaiah, Pastor Paul Isaac Audu and Anongu Moses was frivolous and an ab¥se of the court process. He held that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to file the suit, adding that the court could not exercise jurisdiction to hear it because it relates to a presidential election.
While accusing the plaintiffs of wasting judicial time of the court by filing the suit, Justice Omotosho held that the legal action was in bad faith as it was aimed to expose the judiciary to ridicule.
It held that the suit, which sought to stop the inauguration that is few days away, was capable of destabilizing the democracy in the country.
Consequently, Justice Omotosho dismissed the suit and awarded a cost of N10m in Tinubu’s favour, N5m in favour of the APC and another N1m to be personally paid by counsel for the plaintiffs, to each of the respondents.
