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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a case filed by five residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), seeking to stop the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu.
Recall that five residents of Abuja–Anyaegbunam Okoye, David Adzer, Jeffrey Uche, Osang Paul and Chibuike Nwanchukwu sued for themselves and on behalf of other residents and registered voters in the FCT.
In the suit filed on April 28, the plaintiffs averred that Tinubu failed to secure at least 25 per cent of votes cast in the FCT.
They sought an order of court restraining the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and any judicial officer and/or any authority or persons from swearing in any candidate in the February 25 presidential election as president or vice president.
They also wanted the court to set aside the certificate of return issued to Tinubu and restrain the CJN and any other judicial officer from swearing in any candidate in the presidential election as president or vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria until the issue was determined in court.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Chuks Nwachukwu Esq, also informed the court that they filed an ex parte application and originating motions seeking a referral of the constitutional matters to the Court of Appeal for interpretation.
But delivering judgement on Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo, dismissed the suit for lack of jurisdiction and locus standi.
He also awarded a cost of N20 million against the lawyer, Chuks Nwachukwu Esq.
Additionally, Justice Ekwo ordered that the case file and all processes filed should be transmitted to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for appropriate disciplinary actions against the lawyer.
The judge held that no step should be taken on the matter by the plaintiffs until the N20 million awarded is fully paid.