The Court of Appeal, Abuja division yesterday adjourned indefinitely a suit seeking to stop the May 29 inauguration of the President- elect, Bola Tinubu.
President Muhammad Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation AGF, Abubakar Malami SAN were however, absent at the hearing and also not represented by any counsel.
Buhari and AGF, who are the first and second respondents in the suit instituted 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, despite been served with hearing notice.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which conducted the 2019 Presidential election, which was a subject of dispute, asked the Court of Appeal to dismiss the case of Ow-uru, 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 adjudged constitutional winner of the of 2019 Presidential election as frivolous, baseless, irritating and unwarranted.
Counsel to INEC, Has- san Halilu faulted the claims of Owuru and urged the Court of Appeal to dis- miss it with heavy cost on the ground that the suit lacked merit.
On his part, the President-elect, 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 for 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 Jam- il Tukur, who headed the three-man panel of justice in the hearing of the matter, has adjourned judgment in – definitely. Justice Tukur said that parties in the appeal would be communicated as soon as the judgment is ready.
Owuru had in a fresh motion on notice prayed the Court of Appeal to prohibit President Muhammad Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the INEC from inaugurating the 2023 President- elect on May 29.
The politician, who participated in the 2019 presidential poll on the platform of Hope Democratic Party (HDP), wanted Buhari, AGF and INEC be stopped from taking any further steps on the 2023 presidential election that produced Tinubu as winner.
Owuru, who claimed to be adjudged
Constitutional winner of the 2019 presidential election, predicated his grouse against the inauguration of Tinubu or anybody else as the successor to Buhari on the ground that he is the constitutionally adjudged winner of the 2019 election and has not spent his tenure as required by law.