In what can only be described as a judicial slap-down of epic proportions, the Supreme Court on Monday in Abuja imposed a N5 million fine on Ambrose Albert Owuru, a former presidential candidate and self-styled crusader, for what it termed a frivolous and vexatious suit against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Owuru, who ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign on the platform of the long-forgotten Hope Democratic Party (HDP) in 2019, had somehow convinced himself that four years later, he could undo the past and eject Tinubu from office.
Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, visibly unimpressed by Owuru’s persistence, didn’t mince words as she dismissed the latest in a series of legal antics. Adding salt to injury, the Supreme Court not only ordered Owuru to pay N5 million to Tinubu but also barred him from filing any more “frivolous” lawsuits in its Registry.
In a bizarre twist to the courtroom drama, Owuru, who claims to have been a lawyer for over 40 years, attempted to argue his case while clad in his wig and gown. The court, however, swiftly shut down the performance, ordering him to strip off his legal regalia before continuing.
When pressed to explain why he was dragging the judiciary through yet another legal wild goose chase, Owuru’s arguments were dismissed as both unconvincing and, frankly, a waste of everyone’s time. Justice Aba-Aji didn’t hold back, calling his behavior “unbecoming” of a seasoned lawyer if indeed his 40-year claim is to be believed.
This is not Owuru’s first brush with judicial scorn. The Court of Appeal had previously fined him a staggering N40 million for filing similarly baseless suits against Tinubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and others. It seems that, undeterred by financial penalties or legal defeats, Owuru is on a quest to redefine the meaning of persistence or futility.
With this latest ruling, one can only hope that Owuru has finally exhausted his repertoire of “vexatious” claims. But given his track record, we just can’t conclude yet. Meanwhile, President Tinubu can rest easy knowing that the Supreme Court, at least, has little patience for what appears to be a relentless exercise in absurdity.
