Court cases Buhari started that Tinubu has lost and why

President Bola Tinubu, on his way to power, promised to step in his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari's shoes and not on his toes. However, it appears the president is on a different path from the Katsina-born general turned politician, particularly in some court cases.

The federal government has lost no less than two court cases started by the Buhari administration. While the Supreme Court dismissed one, the Tinubu-led federal government withdrew the other.

Below are the court cases:

FG vs Orubebe

The federal government under Buhari had dragged Godsday Orubebe, the former minister of Niger Delta, to court over an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

The court had reversed the conviction of the former minister, but the Buhari-led government filed an appeal against the judgment.

However, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal against the reversal of Orubebe's conviction on February 16, 2024, about seven years after the Buhari administration filed the appeal. Orubebe was convicted on October 4, 2016, by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

Who is Orubebe?

Orubebe became popular after attempting to disrupt the collation of the 2015 presidential election in Abuja.

The election sacked former president Goodluck Jonathan and brought in Buhari.

Soon after getting to office, the Buhari government charged Orubebe with a Code of Conduct for public officers and was convicted in 2016.

FG vs Sowore

The treasonable charges against Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, and his ally, Olawale Bakare, was another case started by the Buhari administration that Tinubu lost.

Legal tussle against the activist-turned-politician was one of the popular cases the Buhari administration instituted and battled for most of his second term.

But in a notice before the court, Tinubu's attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi, discontinued the case against the veteran journalist and his ally.

Who is Omoyele Sowore?

Sowore had called for revolution against the government of the day after losing out in the 2023 presidential election. That marked the beginning of his legal woes with the Buhari-led federal government.

In some instances, the Department of State Services arrested the activist during court proceedings. This development was widely condemned by many who considered the action an insult to the judiciary.

Lawyer speaks on why court freed Sowore

Reacting to the development in an interview with Legit.ng, Okanlawon Gaffar, a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, said the AGF acted in line with the constitution of Nigeria.

Gaffar said: "The constitution is clear on the power of the Attorney-General of the Federation. Meaning, that he has the power to institute, takeover and discontinue a matter before judgment is given or before Appeal.

"Therefore, what the current Attorney General of the Federation in the person of Lateef Fagbami, SAN, is trite to the wordings, spirit and letters of Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)