The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck out the suit filed by 5 residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) seeking to stop the 2023 presidential inauguration.
The 5 residents who claimed to have filed the suit for themselves and other residents and registered voters of the FCT had prayed to the court to halt the inauguration on grounds that President Bola Tinubu had not secured 25% of the votes cast in the FCT.
At the last adjourned date 28th May which was scheduled for rule on the case, Justice Inyang Ekwo was absent from court on an official duty.
The absence of the judge infuriated the counsel to the plaintiffs, who granted an interview, threatening to sue the judge up to the Supreme Court.
At today’s proceeding, the said lawyer was absent from court.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Ekwo held that from the affidavit of the plaintiffs, the lawyer, Chucks Nwachukwu instigated the suit and merely got the plaintiffs to stand in as parties while he handles the suit as a lawyer.
This, the court says, is “unprofessional conduct, reckless, frivolous and a lack of complete knowledge of the elementary principles of law.”
“The action was willfully initiated not just to circumvent but to overreach the ongoing proceedings of the presidential election petition tribunal.
“The lawyer aimed to plunge the country into unprecedented constitutional anarchy capable of causing bloodshed and genocide.
“The plaintiffs and their lawyers are out to be deprecated in the strongest term for this type of process,” Justice Ekwo held.
The court found no merit in the application and accordingly struck out the suit.
The court, however, made the consequent order, directing the lawyer to pay the sum of N10 million each to the 1st and 2nd respondents (the AGF and the CJN).
Justice Ekwo held that the lawyer was lucky to be absent from court otherwise he would have de-robed him immediately.
The court, therefore, referred him to the legal disciplinary committee to determine if he is fit to practice. The order shall be served on the Supreme Court, NBA and the AGF.
The court also held that until the fine is paid no further action can be taken on the suit.
*(With further report from TVC News)
