In a dramatic legal twist, Chief Ambrose Owuru, a former presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), has petitioned the Supreme Court, urging it to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Vanguard Newspaper disclosed this development via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, sparking intense political discourse across the nation.
Owuru, who contested the 2019 presidential election under the HDP banner, filed a suit directly at the apex court, making explosive claims that could shake Nigeria’s political landscape. The plaintiff accused President Tinubu of being an “active agent” of the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), asserting that this alleged allegiance renders him unfit to hold the nation’s highest office.
Adding fuel to the fire, the British-trained lawyer, who was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982, cited Tinubu’s infamous forfeiture of $460,000 to the U.S. government in a drug-related case as further grounds for disqualification. Owuru invoked Section 157 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, as amended, arguing that Tinubu’s purported connections to foreign authorities compromise his loyalty to the country and should result in his immediate removal from office.
The suit, marked SC/CV/667/2023, also ropes in former President Muhammadu Buhari as a co-defendant. Owuru contended that Buhari’s tenure was “illegal” and accused him of laying the groundwork for what he perceives as Tinubu’s questionable rise to power.
This latest legal challenge comes amidst heightened public scrutiny of Tinubu’s leadership, especially concerning his controversial past and alleged entanglements with U.S. authorities. Owuru’s claims add to the litany of legal battles the president has faced since assuming office.
The former HDP candidate also raised questions about the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which deregistered his party after the 2019 elections. Despite this setback, Owuru continues to pursue what he describes as a mission to ensure transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s governance.
As the nation waits for the Supreme Court’s response to these explosive allegations, the political temperature continues to rise. Will this suit mark a turning point in Nigeria’s political history, or is it another chapter in the endless drama of its post-election controversies? Only time will tell.
PIONEER NEWS 