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Ex-presidential Candidate Fined N40m For Trying To Stop Tinubu’s Inauguration

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The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on Thursday, declined to stop the swearing-in of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on May 29, even as it slammed N40million fine against the appellant.

The court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, described as frivolous, the appeal, which was brought before it by a former presidential candidate of the defunct Hope Democratic Party, HDP, Chief Ambrose Owuru.

It ordered the appellant to pay damages to the tune of N10m, to each of the respondents in the appeal.

Cited as 1st to 4th respondents in the matter, were; President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as well as the President-elect, Tinubu.

Delivering the lead judgement in the matter, Justice Jamil Tukur, held that the erstwhile presidential candidate, Owuru, engaged in gross abuse of the judicial process.

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READ ALSO: I Won’t Disappoint Nigerians, Tinubu Assures, As He’s Conferred National Honour

The appellate court held that the “strange” suit he filed to stop Tinubu’s inauguration as President, was not only vexatious but all aimed to irritate the respondents.

The court held that issues Chief Owuru raised against Tinubu’s swearing-in, bordered on the presidential election that held since 2019, which it noted was previously dismissed by the Supreme Court for want of merit.

It held that the attempt by the appellants to resurrect the case that died since 2019, was aimed at pushing the lower courts to embark on a collision course with the Supreme Court.

It, therefore, dismissed the appeal and awarded punitive damages against the appellant.

It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had on January 30, also dismissed the suit which Chief Owuru, who is also a legal practitioner, filed to remove President Buhari from office.

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In the judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, the trial court maintained that the legal action was baseless, frivolous, irritating and vexatious, adding that the suit had become statute barred since it was based on the presidential election that held four years ago.

READ ALSO: What I Discussed With Ex-UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair – Tinubu

Justice Ekwo further held that the suit was a direct affront to the supremacy of the Supreme Court which had earlier decided a similar request by the plaintiff.

Specifically, Owuru, who was the presidential flag-bearer of the HDP which has since been de-registered by INEC, had approached the court, praying it to sack President Buhari from office, insisting that the election through which he won his re-election in 2019, was fraught with manifest irregularities.

The plaintiff urged the court to declare that he was the authentic person that ought to have been sworn in as President instead of Buhari who contested the said election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

He had among other things, contended that INEC assisted President Buhari to manipulate the outcome of the election against him by shifting the earlier date it fixed for the poll.

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Owuru prayed the court to determine the legality or otherwise of INEC’s decision to postpone the election date from February 16 to March 23, 2019.

According to the plaintiff, INEC, acted against the Constitution by “the illegal and unlawful way” the date for the presidential poll was shifted, adding that the declaration of President Buhari as winner of the unlawful act should be declared null and void and of no effect.

 

Owuru, who is a British-trained lawyer that was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984, told the court that prior to the postponement of the election, he emerged as the winner of a referendum he said was conducted and monitored by both foreign and local organizations.

READ ALSO: Court Moves To Consolidate All Petitions Against Tinubu

He told the court that he had at the end of the said referendum, garnered over 50million votes, which he said was far and above the number of votes that other candidates that contested the presidential election secured.

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Owuru argued that the petition he lodged against Buhari after the election was not adjudicated upon by the Supreme Court as required by law.

He claimed that his petition was unjustly dismissed by the apex court following his absence that was occasioned by discrepancy in the hearing date that was served to him.

He, therefore, urged the high court to validate his case by removing Buhari and declaring him the President.

He further applied for an order to compel President Buhari to refund all monies he “illegally” collected as salaries, emoluments and security votes.

More so, the plaintiff prayed the court to halt the 2023 presidential election and order his immediate swearing in as President for a four-year tenure of office.

Meanwhile, following the dismissal of his case and the conduct of the presidential election on February 25, Owuru, approached the appellate court to stop the swearing-in of the President-elect, a prayer the court refused on Thursday.

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Edo Guber: Tinubu Predicts Victory For APC

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President Bola Tinubu has declared that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is on the path to victory in the September, 2024 gubernatorial election in Edo State.

The President expressed optimism while presenting the party’s flag to the state gubernatorial candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday.

Addressing party stalwarts led by the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, President Tinubu pledged that the party would stand with the candidates ”like the wall of Gibraltar.”

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Ganduje Presents Idahosa As Edo Deputy Governorship Candidate

He said, “If you are happy; we are happy. If you are determined; we are determined. We are going to work with you. We are going to stand with you like the wall of Gibraltar. That is all I can assure you. The party is supreme, but victory is superior and very important.

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“Distinguished Senator and our flagbearer, we are putting you forward in order to hold the party in trust for us and achieve victory for us. You and your running mate have been described as giant killers, and you have worked tirelessly with the party leadership.”

The President, while inviting Edo State Women Leader, Lady Betty Okoebor, to speak on the party’s readiness for the election, reiterated that with the strong support of women, victory is assured.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Presents APC Flag To Edo Gov Candidate, Running Mate

”If the women say we are going to win, then we are good to go because they constitute the largest number of voters and the most dedicated,” he affirmed.

President Tinubu commended the leadership of the party in Edo for their efforts towards the success of the candidates and the party.

He particularly lauded Senator Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of the state, for his exemplary leadership.

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Earlier in his remarks, the National Chairman of the APC emphasized the unity of purpose within the party towards achieving victory in the election.

”Our candidate is soft-spoken, focused, and an achiever. He is a product that is highly marketable, and I am confident that with him as our flagbearer, we will bring Edo back to our party,” Ganduje said.

 

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Tinubu Presents APC Flag To Edo Gov Candidate, Running Mate

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President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, met the leadership of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress at the State House, Abuja.⁣

Monday’s meeting was meant to address disagreements brewing in Edo APC for weeks now and officially present the party’s flag to its candidate in the September 2024 governorship elections, Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa. ⁣

The delegation was led to the Villa by the APC Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje. ⁣

READ ALSO: Tinubu Appoints New DG For NEMA

While the full details of the closed-door talks remain unclear, The PUNCH correspondent learned that Idahosa has been asked to withdraw his court case against Okpebholo’s candidature. ⁣

The primary election through which Okpebholo emerged as a candidate has been mired in controversy.

Idahosa was first declared the party’s nominee by the Governor Hope Uzodimma-led committee. ⁣

The first round of voting saw the trio of Okpebholo, Idahosa, and Dekeri lay claim to the party’s governorship ticket.

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READ ALSO: Confusion As EFCC Joins Kogi Ex-gov, Bello In Amended N100bn Corruption Case

Consequently, the party’s National Working Committee declared the exercise inconclusive owing to several irregularities.

Okpebholo eventually secured victory with 12,433 votes in the February 23 re-run.

Also present at the meeting was the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole, and former representative of Edo South in the Senate, Matthew Urhoghide, among others.

Details shortly…

 

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PHOTOS: Ganduje Presents Idahosa As Edo Deputy Governorship Candidate

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The National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, has presented Dennis Idahosa as the party’s deputy governorship candidate in Edo State during a meeting with the party’s governorship aspirants and stakeholders in Edo State.

This was disclosed in a statement on the party’s official X handle on Monday.

The caption read, “The National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, met with APC governorship aspirants and other stakeholders in Edo State. During the meeting, Hon. Dennis Idahosa was presented as the party’s deputy governorship candidate in the state.”

READ ALSO: Again, Terrorists Storm Kaduna In Fresh Attack, Abduct 87

This comes one month after his alleged anointed candidate, Idahosa, lost to Okpebholo in the February 22 APC primary election.

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