The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed a lawsuit by Ambrose Owuru, seeking to remove President Bola Tinubu, and imposed a N5 million fine for filing frivolous suits. Owuru, a former presidential candidate, was also barred from submitting similar suits in the future.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Ambrose Owuru, a former presidential candidate, seeking to remove President Bola Tinubu from office. Owuru, who contested the 2019 election as the Hope Democratic Party’s candidate, was fined N5 million for repeatedly bringing frivolous suits against the President. In addition to the fine, the court ruled that its Registry should no longer accept any suit-originating summons from Owuru.
Owuru, who claimed to be a lawyer with over 40 years of experience, appeared in court wearing his wig and gown to argue his case. However, he was ordered to remove them before proceeding. Despite explaining his intentions, his arguments were rejected by the court, which deemed his conduct inappropriate for a lawyer of his standing. The court also warned Owuru that further misconduct could result in a referral to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
This latest suit, which sought to invoke Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution to remove President Tinubu, was dismissed after the court found Owuru’s claims unconvincing. In 2023, the Court of Appeal also fined him N40 million for filing similar suits against Tinubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and others. The Supreme Court’s decision marks the final rejection of Owuru’s efforts to challenge Tinubu’s presidency.
