You Have No Power To IMPEACH Me- Tinubu Sends Message To Federal High Court Over Impeachable Offence
President Bola Tinubu has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a lawsuit that calls for the National Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings against him. The case was brought before the court by a legal practitioner, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, who alleges that Tinubu’ s administration has repeatedly violated citizens’ rights, particularly by suppressing peaceful protests.
The lawsuit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/1334/2024, claims that the government’ s actions between August 1 and August 10, 2024, involved a harsh and violent crackdown on demonstrators across the country. The plaintiff argues that these actions amount to misconduct and justify Tinubu’ s removal under Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution. According to Ogungbeje, the Nigerian Constitution grants the National Assembly the power to initiate impeachment proceedings against a sitting president if there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
The plaintiff has listed six major requests in his suit, with the primary demand being a court declaration that the suppression of peaceful protests under Tinubu’ s leadership is an impeachable offense. He believes that by preventing Nigerian citizens from exercising their right to protest, the government has violated fundamental democratic principles and the rule of law.
In response, President Tinubu and the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, have strongly opposed the case. In a preliminary objection filed jointly, they argue that the lawsuit should be dismissed because the plaintiff lacks the legal right (locus standi) to bring such a case before the court. They insist that Ogungbeje is not representing any specific individual whose rights were violated and has not personally suffered any harm.
Their legal team, led by Mr. Sanusi Musa, SAN, has also questioned whether the court has the jurisdiction to hear the case. They argue that Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution states that only individuals whose rights have been directly violated can seek legal redress. Since the plaintiff has not identified any specific victims, the case should not proceed.
In a counter- affidavit, Gbemga Oladimeji, a Principal State Counsel at the Federal Ministry of Justice, defended the president’ s administration, stating that Tinubu has upheld democratic values and respected citizens’ rights. He refuted the plaintiff’ s claims, insisting that the government has never prevented Nigerians from expressing their opinions or staging peaceful protests.
According to Oladimeji, the protests that took place between August 1 and 10, 2024, were conducted peacefully and within legally designated areas. He added that there was a court order restricting demonstrations to specific locations to ensure public safety. He also emphasized that security agencies were present during the protests, not to suppress demonstrators, but to maintain order and prevent any unlawful activities.
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The affidavit further states that President Tinubu has always upheld the rule of law and ensured that security agencies operate within legal boundaries. It argues that there is no evidence that the president violated his oath of office or engaged in any misconduct that would warrant impeachment.
On Monday, Justice James Omotosho adjourned the case to March 4, 2025, to allow the plaintiff’ s legal representative, Mr. Stanley Okonmah, to respond to the objections raised by Tinubu and the AGF. The judge will review both sides’ arguments before deciding whether the case will proceed or be dismissed.
This legal battle highlights growing tensions between the government and activists who accuse the administration of limiting free speech and political dissent. However, the government maintains that it is committed to democracy and the protection of citizens’ rights. As the case continues, legal experts and political analysts will be closely watching the court’ s ruling and its potential implications for Nigeria’ s political landscape.
