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Lawyer Sues Buhari Over Fuel Scarcity
Mr. Festus Ogun, a Lagos-based lawyer, has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) at the Federal High Court in Lagos, alleging that Nigerians suffered undue hardship as a result of the fuel shortage earlier this year.
In the suit, dubbed FHC/L/CS/743/22, Ogun asked the court to prevent Buhari from serving as Minister of Petroleum Resources or holding any other executive office in any capacity, claiming that the president would not be able to perform his duties effectively.
“In February 2022, there was an unprecedented statewide gasoline scarcity that lasted for nearly a month; leaving inhabitants of Nigeria, including the Plaintiff, in anguish, misery, and suffering,” according to Ogun.
Ogun, in a separate statement, also said, “I have just filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari at the Federal High Court in Lagos over the excessive pain, hardship, and agony Nigerians went through as a result of the fuel scarcity experienced earlier this year.
“I solemnly believe that the gross inefficiency and mismanagement in the Petroleum Sector, that led to the fuel scarcity, is avoidable if the President was not holding the dual position of Petroleum Minister in violation of Section 138 of the 1999 Constitution.
“I believe that the President’s continuous serving as Petroleum Minister is not only illegal and unconstitutional, it is inimical to our economic growth and likely to occasion future scarcity and inefficiency that will affect the country and its good people.
“I make bold to say that it is practically and legally impossible for the President to hold his elected position, which comes with enormous responsibilities, contemporaneously with the position of Petroleum Minister. It has no basis in law, logic, and politics.
If Nigerians suffered that heavily during the fuel scarcity, the President must be answerable for it. There must be consequences. And as a citizen of this country, I believe we must avert a reoccurrence; whether under this regime or in future administrations.”
The lawyer also filed a lawsuit against the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami – SAN, and the National Assembly over Buhari’s appointment as Minister of Petroleum, which he claimed was illegal.
The date for the lawsuit’s hearing has yet to be set.
