President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) on Friday shunned hearing in a suit seeking to stop the inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29.
Buhari and AGF who are the first and second respondents in the suit filed by a former Presidential candidate, Chief Ambrose Albert Owuro did not file any process or have any legal representation at the hearing of the suit at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, despite been served with hearing notice.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which conducted the 2019 Presidential election, which was the subject of dispute asked the Court of Appeal to dismiss the case of Owuro who claimed to be adjudged the constitutional winner of the 2019 Presidential election.
The electoral body which is the 3rd respondent in the appeal described Owuru’s claim as frivolous, baseless, irritating and unwarranted.
Represented by a lawyer, Hassan Halilu, INEC faulted the claims of Owuru and urged the appellate Court to dismiss it with heavy cost for lacking in merit.
On his part, the President-elect, Bola Tinubu who joined the suit as an interested party at the Court of Appeal argued that the claims of Owuru to the 2019 Presidential election was not only strange but baseless, frivolous and un- meritorious.
Tinubu through his counsel, Adelani Ajibade from the Chamber of Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) told the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal that the purported constitutional rights being claimed and asserted by the former Presidential candidate had been extinguished by a Supreme Court judgment which nullified his petition filed against the 2019 Presidential election.
The President-elect whose brief of argument was filed on May 19 demanded outright dismissal of the suit with N20 million cost to be paid to the respondents by Owuru and his party, Hope Democratic Party (HDP).
Meanwhile, Justice Jamil Tukur who headed the three-member panel of justice in the hearing of the matter has adjourned judgment indefinitely.
Justice Tukur said parties in the appeal would be communicated as soon as the judgment is ready.
Before the hearing of the suit, Justice Tukur ordered Owuru to vacate the seat reserved for only Senior Advocates of Nigeria members of the Nigerian Bar Association.