Supreme Court Fines Ex-Presidential Candidate N5 Million for Harassing Tinubu

The Supreme Court has imposed a fine of N5 million on Ambrose Albert Owuru, a former presidential candidate, for filing a frivolous lawsuit against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Owuru, who contested the 2019 presidential election, was ordered to pay the fine to Tinubu. According to the court, Owuru’s lawsuit was an attempt to harass Tinubu with unfounded claims.

Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, who presided over the case, dismissed Owuru’s suit and ordered him to pay the fine. The court also barred Owuru from filing any further frivolous lawsuits. During the proceedings, Owuru, who claimed to be a lawyer, attempted to argue his own case while wearing his wig and gown. However, he was ordered to remove his legal attire before being allowed to proceed.

The court rejected Owuru’s explanations for filing the lawsuit, stating that his conduct was unbecoming of a lawyer with over 40 years of experience. This is not the first time Owuru has been fined for filing frivolous lawsuits. Previously, the Court of Appeal had imposed a fine of N40 million on him for filing a similar lawsuit.

Owuru’s lawsuit alleged that Tinubu was not qualified to hold office as President and that he had usurped the office. However, the court dismissed these claims as unfounded and frivolous. In a separate claim, Owuru alleged that Tinubu had forfeited $460,000 to the United States government over an alleged drug trafficking-related offense. He also accused Tinubu of being an active agent of the CIA, which he claimed disqualified him from holding public office.

Owuru, a British-trained lawyer called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984, insisted that he won the 2019 presidential election but alleged that his tenure was usurped by former President Muhammadu Buhari for eight years. He claimed that his suit at the Supreme Court, which would have removed Buhari from office, was technically jettisoned by the Apex Court due to a mix-up in hearing dates.

The Supreme Court’s decision to fine Owuru N5 million serves as a warning against filing frivolous lawsuits. The court’s ruling also underscores the importance of respecting the legal process and avoiding baseless claims. As Justice Aba-Aji noted, the court will not tolerate frivolous lawsuits aimed at harassing public officials.