A lawsuit instituted by Ambrose Owuru, a former presidential candidate for the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), at the Federal High Court of Abuja challenging the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2019 general election, was dismissed by Justice Inyang Ekwo.
The court dismissed the lawsuit calling for President Buhari’s dismissal on three main grounds: it was a blatant abuse of the legal system, it was past its expiration date, and it was an insult to the supremacy of the Nigerian Supreme Court.
Justice Ekwo concluded that the entire lawsuit was unfounded, frivolous, and vexatious.
Owuru, the plaintiff, had requested in the lawsuit that the court proclaim the presidency vacant and swear him in as the legitimate victor of that election.
Albert Owuru requests that the court rule on the validity of INEC’s 2019 decision to move the poll from February 16 to March 23, 2019.
He asserted that INEC relocated the presidential election in violation of the Constitution, and that the announcement of Mohammadu Buhari as the winner of the illegal conduct should be deemed void and without force.
On the grounds that the Supreme Court was not compelled by law to rule on the case he filed against Buhari, he nevertheless requested that the Court declare him the election’s victor.
The lawmaker claimed that because of inconsistencies in the hearing dates that were sent to him, his plea was unfairly dismissed by the Supreme Court when he was absent from the Apex Court.
He therefore pleaded with the court to depose Buhari, recognize him (Owuru) as the legitimate President, and order Buhari to return all of the money he had received in the form of wages, emoluments, and security votes.
The HDP presidential candidate also requested that the Federal High Court order INEC to refrain from holding the 2023 presidential election and that he be inaugurated for a four-year term following Buhari’s ouster from office.
President Buhari is allegedly usurping the plaintiff’s position, and the plaintiff asked the court to order Buhari to return all the money he received in the form of wages, emoluments, and security votes.