President Muhammadu Buhari has been accused of using taxpayers’ money for a private matter after a Senior State Counsel of the ministry of justice appeared on the president’s behalf in a suit filed over his academic qualification.
The Supreme Court on Monday alleged President Muhammadu Buhari of using a lawyer from the ministry of justice, for his private matter.
Abdullahi Abubakar, a senior state counsel of the ministry of justice appeared on the president’s behalf in a suit filed over his academic qualification, by Kalu Kalu Agu, Labaran Ismail, Hassy Jyari El-Kunis.
They accused Buhari of lying under oath in a form he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 election.
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At the apex court on Monday, a five-man panel of judges led by Mary Odili 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.
“Mr Buhari was sued as a private citizen,” Abubakar said.
In response to the lawyer, Odili said: “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.”
Odili said ex-US President Bill Clinton “sponsored his own litigation personally, without involving the ministry of justice.”
The court, however, 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.
