By Bayero Ade
President Bola Tinubu has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to compel the National Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings against him for alleged human rights abuses.
According to Afripost, The suit, filed by lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje, accuses Tinubu’s administration of suppressing peaceful protests, claiming this constitutes grounds for impeachment.
However, both President Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, have challenged the suit, questioning the plaintiff’s legal standing. They argue that Ogungbeje has no legitimate grounds to file the lawsuit and that the court does not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
In a preliminary objection, the defendants provided 18 reasons why the case should be dismissed. They stated that Ogungbeje is acting on behalf of “unnamed citizens” and has not identified any specific individuals whose rights were allegedly violated. According to the defendants, only individuals directly impacted by such violations can seek legal redress under Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution.
Additionally, they argued that the suit does not demonstrate any constitutional breach by President Tinubu that directly affects Ogungbeje.
Gbemga Oladimeji, a principal state counsel at the Federal Ministry of Justice, further supported this position in a counter affidavit. He stated that the protests held between August 1 and 10, 2024, were peaceful and occurred in the designated area, as directed by a court order.
Justice James Omotosho has adjourned the case to March 4 to allow the plaintiff’s counsel time to respond to the preliminary objection raised by President Tinubu and the AGF.
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