Supreme Court strikes out HDP’s suit against President Buhari’s election

The Supreme Court on Thursday struck out the appeal of candidate
of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Chief Ambrose Owuru, against
the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The appeal was struck out on the grounds that Owuru and his
party engaged in gross abuse of court processes by filing two
notices of appeal contrary to the provisions of the law.

In a unanimous decision of the apex court read by Justice Mary
Peter-Odili, the court held that the appellants failed to appeal
against the August 22 ruling of the presidential election petition
tribunal which struck out their petition for being incompetent.

Justice Odili upheld the argument of Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN
that the two appellants embarked on a journey aimed at misdirecting
the court by filing two notices of appeal and simultaneously used
the two notices to formulate grounds of appeal, contrary to the
provisions of the law.

The court having upheld the preliminary objections of the three
respondents to the appeal said that the HDP’s appeal had nothing to
stand upon and consequently struck out the appeal.