– Awards N20Million Against Plantiffs’ Lawyer
A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the suit filed by five residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, who sought to stop the inauguration of Bola Tinubu, as Nigeria’s President.
Presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Tuesday, ordered the lawyer representing the five residents to pay the sum of N10million each to the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.
The residents had prayed the Court for an order to stop the swearing-in of the then President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on 29 May, for failing to secure at least 25 per cent of votes cast in the FCT.
Justice Ekwo dismissed the suit for lack of jurisdiction and locus standi, and also awarded the sum of N20m against Chucks Nwachukwu, lawyer to the plaintiffs.
Justice Ekwo also directed that the case file and all processes filed be transmitted to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, for appropriate disciplinary action against the lawyer.
Recall that residents of the Federal Capital Territory numbering about five had filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, praying for an order to stop the swearing-in of Mr Bola Tinubu.
The complainants, through their lawyer, Chuks Nwachukwu had urged the court to stop the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, any other judicial officer and/or any other authority or person from swearing in any candidate in the 25 February presidential election as President and Vice President of Nigeria.
Mr Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared winner of the 25 February presidential poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, with 8,794,726 votes.