Ex-Presidential candidate Owuru sues Buhari, asks court to declare Presidency vacant

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

Chief Albert Ambrose Owuru has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari before a Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to declare the Presidency vacant.
Owuru, the Hope Democratic Party (HDD) candidate, in the 2019 Presidential poll, wants the court to declare Buhari as unlawful President, illegally occupying the Presidential seat.
The plaintiff who is a British trained constitutional lawyer and called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982, is asking the court to declare him the authentic winner of the poll.
He asked the court for an order of directing his immediate inauguration to take over from Buhari.
In the suit he instituted on June 16, 2021 against President Buhari and two others, Owuru claimed that he won the February 16. 2019 Presidential debate and that his suit against Buhari at the Supreme Court was inconclusive due to some errors or adjourned date.
He sought a declaration by the federal high court that he is entitled to serve out a tenure of 4 years after his formal inauguration.
Among other reliefs , the HDP presidential candidate wants Buhari removed from office with immediate effect and be compelled through order of court to refund all salaries allowances and emoluments he collected while being unlawfully in office as President.
Owuru pleaded with the court to give order that salaries allowances and emoluments be paid to him grow May 29. 2019 till date when he ought to have been sworn in.
The plaintiff further applied for an order of perpetual injunction restraining Buhari, Attorney General of the Federation and Independent National Electoral Commission INEC from any further organizing, and conduct any Presidential election in 2023 so enable him complete his 4 year term when inaugurated.
Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.