The United States Supreme Court has struck out Bola Tinubu’s petition against Zhongshan Chinese investors for a writ of certiorari to review a judgement that awarded $70 million against the Nigerian government over a botched free trade zone contract in Ogun state former governor Ibikunle Amosun.
“Having lost the case at two lower courts, Mr Tinubu had raced to the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2024 to file a certiorari asking senior jurists to review Nigeria’s sovereignty argument that it was an independent state that was not subject to the laws of other nations.
The Supreme Court asked Zhongshan investors to respond to Nigeria’s request for certiorari latest January 27, 2025.
However, the Chinese investors pleaded for additional time, asserting that their lawyers had a full calendar to work on cases for other clients.
In a sudden turn of events, both parties asked to withdraw the application of certiorari late March, a request that the top court granted on April 9.
Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 46.1, all parties stipulate that the petition for a writ of certiorari in this case be dismissed,” stated court filings seen by Peoples Gazette. “No fees are due to the clerk, and each party will bear its own costs.”
“The parties, therefore, respectfully request that the court dismiss the petition for a writ of certiorari,” stated the joint stipulation signed by lawyers representing the Nigerian government and Chinese investors.
The terms under which both parties agreed to withdraw the case remained unclear.
The Supreme Court granted the motion and struck out the case from docket on April 9, following a joint stipulation by the parties on March 25.
The attorney general of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi, did not immediately return comments to clarify the terms of the agreement, which led both parties to file a joint stipulation to withdraw the case.
The withdrawal will cap years-long controversy between the two parties and threats by the Chinese investors to seize Nigeria’s foreign assets, particularly tens of millions of dollars from its crude earnings account in JP Morgan.
