Supreme Court indicts Buhari

Nigeria’s Supreme Court accused President Muhammadu Buhari of using of violating the code of conduct for public office holders on Monday.

Justice Mary Odili stated this in the apex court decision on the appeal against Buhari’s qualification.

 Abdullahi Abubakar, a senior counsel at the ministry of justice, appeared for the president in a suit a threesome — Kalu Kalu Agu, Labaran Ismail, Hassy Jyari El-Kunis –filed.

They accused Buhari of lying under oath in a form he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 election.

The Appeal Court had dismissed the suit saying it was statute-barred.

The three, however, appealed.

At the court on Monday, the Odili-led panel of five justices asked the lawyer if the president was sued as a private citizen or as president.

The government lawyer said the president was being sued as a private citizen.

 “It is inappropriate, the representation of Mr Buhari by the senior state counsel of the ministry of justice in his personal capacity and not as Nigerian president,” said Odili.

According to her, ex-US President Bill Clinton “sponsored his own litigation personally, without involving the ministry of justice.”

The court faulted the use of taxpayers money to work on private litigation, describing it as a contravention of the provisions of the code of conduct for public officers.