Supreme Court criticise Buhari for defending his perjury case using taxpayers money

President Muhammadu Buhari 

The Supreme Court has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for using a state counsel at the Ministry of Justice, Abdullahi Abubakar, to defend his perjury case.

The apex court made the observation while delivering a ruling in a suit accusing the president of lying on oath on Monday.

Recall that three appellants had filed a suit against the president alleging that he lied on oath in a form he submitted to the electoral commission, INEC, for the 2019 election.



But delivering judgment on the suit, the apex Court dismissed the suit against the president, saying it is statute-barred.

The judgement by the five-member panel was read by Justice Mary Odili, but the main criticism of the president’s action was announced by Justice Musa Dattijo.




The judge while querying the counsel that represented the president asked if Mr Buhari was sued in his capacity as president or as a private citizen.

Mr Abubakar replied saying “Mr Buhari was sued as a private citizen.”

The judge told Mr Buhari’s lawyer that a former president of the United States, 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.


The court described it as a contravention of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for public officers.

“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,” the judge said.