Supreme Court dismisses suit seeking Buhari’s disqualification for ‘lying on oath’

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of President Muhammadu Buhari from the last presidential election for lying on oath.

The petition was based on the claims on form 001 he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the February 23, presidential election.

It also established, agreed and held that the petition was a pre-election matter and, also unarguable filed outside the 14 days provided by law and, so status-barred.

However, the petition was also filed against Muhammadu Buhari in his private capacity and not as president Muhammadu Buhari.

On this premise, the apex court said it was even wrong for Buhari to engage the services of a senior counsel in the Federal Ministry of Justice to represent him in his private capacity.

But the appellants are Kalu Kalu, Labaran Ismail and Hassy El-Kuris. The trio had approached the Supreme Court to nullify the candidacy of President Buhari in the just concluded presidential poll over allegations of perjury

Respondent in the suit are Muhammadu Buhari, ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The presiding Justice, Mary Odili, in her ruling said, “Appeal withdrawn is hereby dismissed. President Buhari engaging the services of a senior state counsel from the ministry of justice to represent him in his private capacity is a clear contravention of the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), for public officers. ”