May 29: Suspense as oppositions expand court options to stop Tinubu’s inauguration

…Ex-presidential candidate storms  A’Court to stop Buhari, AGF, others on inauguration

…Says his 2019 victory at stake

…Tinubu’s support base speaks loud

…Only “Act of God” can stop him, no legal instrument – Keyamo

…Says those who believe in legal instrument are living in fools’ paradise

…Adamu returns to party secretariat, barely one day to ultimatum

…Lobbying over NASS leadership struggle, political appointments, commences in earnest

…Lawmakers, others storm Tinubu’s residence

By Moses Adeniyi

Although supporters have begun to throng President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, since his return to the Country, Monday evening, working to ensure the sacrosanctity of May 29 inauguration, political actors from the camp of oppositions have continued to explore legal mechanisms through the Court by which they can stop the inauguration.

On the part of the opposition, is a fresh motion on notice instituted at the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking to stop the May 29 inauguration of Tinubu as Nigeria’s next President.

The suit marked CA/CV/259/2023 was instituted by Ambrose Owuru,  a past presidential candidate who ran for the presidency under the platform of the Hope Democratic Party in 2019.

Listed as respondents in the motion on notice are the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

Owuru, who is a constitutional lawyer, is praying the Court of Appeal in the suit to prohibit President Buhari, the AGF and INEC from inaugurating the 2023 President-elect on May 29, claiming that he was the valid winner of the 2019 election and had not spent his tenure as required by law.

He is, consequently, seeking to stop any other move towards the inauguration of Tinubu or anybody else as successor to Buhari.

Among other things, Owuru maintained that Buhari had been usurping his tenure of office since 2019 because the Supreme Court had not determined his petition filed in 2019 wherein he challenged Buhari’s victory.

In his motion on notice marked CA/CV/259/2023 Owuru applied for “An order of prohibitory injunction compelling Buhari, AGF and INEC, their servants, agents and privies to preserve and give due cognisance and abstain from any further undertaking or engaging in any act of usurpation of adjudged acquired Constitutional rights and mandate as the winner of the 2019 presidential election.”

He also applied for another order placing on notice that any form of inauguration, organised by Buhari on May 29, 2023 remains and is viewed as an “interim placeholder” administration arranged pending the hearing and determination of his substantive appeal on the constitutional interpretation thereof.

The motion is supported with an eight-paragraph affidavit praying the Court of Appeal for an expeditious hearing before the inauguration of Tinubu.

The affidavit deposed to by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Adebayo Anafowode, and filed at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, expressed apprehension that Owuru’s suit against Buhari would be rendered nugatory unless given a quick hearing.

“That the applicant (Owuru) is the adjudged 1st in time constitutional winner of the February 16, 2019, presidential election reserves the right of first refusal over any later presidential election returns in the face of usurpation of adjudged acquired constitutional rights,” his motion partly read.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit yet.

Meanwhile, as opposition are brandishing mechanisms to forestall the inauguration, the support base of the President-elect has begun to cry loud, expressing confidence that nothing would stop the inauguration of May 29.

…..Only “Act of God” can stop him, no legal instrument – Keyamo

On his part, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN) said on Tuesday that only what he described as an “Act of God who is Almighty,” can stop the inauguration of the President-elect on May 29th.

Keyamo who is the Chief Spokesperson of the defunct Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said there is no fear  nursed from their camp over any fear concerning the inauguration of Tinubu.

He said those believing that for some legal reasons Tinubu will not be inaugurated “must be living in fools’ paradise.”

He added that any opposition member who thinks Tinubu will not be sworn in as President on May 29 for legal reasons is living in fools paradise.

On the return of Tinubu to the Country after over a month stay in Paris, France, Keyamo  advised the opposition to focus on their petitions at the courts or start preparing for the 2027 general elections.

“Why should we exercise any fear? Any opposition member alive now who believes that for some legal reasons Asiwaju will not be inaugurated must be living in fools’ paradise.

“Except there is an Act of God who is Almighty, nothing will stop the inauguration of Asiwaju. The opposition should just concentrate on their Petitions in court or start preparing for 2027,” he said in statement on Tuesday.

…Lobbying over NASS leadership struggle, political appointments, commences in earnest 

Meanwhile, upon his return, political meetings on pending matters awaiting his contributions have begun to kick-off to strike key decisions, particularly on the leadership of the 10th National Assembly (NASS) which has been clouded with issues of principles, particularly on zoning and other contending parameters.

Recall, the President-elect had returned to the Country, Monday evening, after departing for over a month in March.

Tinubu who debunked rumours and speculation that he flew abroad on grounds of ill health said he was “strong and ready for the task ahead.”

“I’m happy to be back. I have rested, I’m refreshed and I’m ready for the task ahead.

“Forget about what the rumour mill may have told you. I’m strong, very strong,” he had said.

Nigerian NewsDirect had reported how political struggles would in the next few days heighten with varying degrees of lobbying upon the return of the President-elect, particularly to strike decisions on the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and the determination of choice of nominees who would form the cabinet of the incoming government.

…Lawmakers, others storm Tinubu’s residence

On Tuesday, at the reception of the President-elect in Abuja was the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and other party leaders including the House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin.

Also were lawmakers including, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Senator Tokunbo Abiru and Hon. James Faleke.

Among those who visited the President-elect on Tuesday were lawmakers jostling for leadership position in the 10th National Assembly.

Key among them was Akpabio who boasted that his records will earn him the Senate Presidency, he is bidding for.

The Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) has not come up with a zoning template for the National Assembly leadership positions, as reports have had it that the arrival of Tinubu’s was much expected to strike the determining parameters, as much contestants within the camp of the ruling APC have continued to brandish different grounds to justify their respective bids.

The matter, among others, had generated suspense within the camp of the ruling party, with the National Vice Chairman, North-west of the party, Salihu Moh. Lukman threatening last week to drag Adamu to Court if he fails to convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

Adamu, had also like Tinubu flown out of the Country for about two weeks, but resumed at the national secretariat of the party on Tuesday where he spent barely an hour before leaving for Tinubu’s house in the highbrow Asokoro.

The Chairman resumed a day to the expiration of the seven days ultimatum issued to him by Salihu.