Gov. Seyi Makinde faces challenges as a court orders the freezing of Oyo state government’s accounts due to a N3.5 billion debt.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has issued an order to freeze the accounts of the Oyo State Government across ten commercial banks nationwide. This directive, issued by Justice A. O. Ebong, results from a garnishee proceeding initiated by former council chiefs in Oyo State.
These council chiefs were dismissed by Governor Seyi Makinde on May 29, 2019, and in 2021, they secured a judgment of N4,874,889,425.60 against Makinde and other state officials/agencies, as per the May 7, 2021 Supreme Court judgment.
The judgment debtors, including Makinde and other officials/agencies, are listed based on the Supreme Court’s judgment. Led by Bashorun Majeed Ajuwon, the ex-council chiefs seek to recover the outstanding balance of N3,424,889,425.60 (N3.5 billion) from the actual judgment sum, of which Makinde paid only N1.5 billion in 2022.
In relation to the Supreme Court judgment, the outstanding amount was initially N3,374,889,425.60. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja added N50 million as costs against Makinde and others in a judgment on December 8, dismissing their appeal.
The banks where Oyo State Government’s accounts are blocked include Zenith Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Jaiz Bank, and Union Bank.
Justice Ebong, in a ruling delivered on December 15 under the motion marked BW/M/85/2023, directed the banks to file affidavits and attend the court on the next adjourned date to show cause why the garnishee orders nisi should not be made absolute.
The judge imposed a cost of N300,000.00 against the judgment debtors, ordered the distribution of the order to Makinde and others, and set the next hearing for January 5, 2024.
Following the Supreme Court’s judgment on May 7, 2021, which nullified Makinde’s removal of elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors in Oyo State, a similar judgment was given for Katsina State.
Both states were instructed to pay the salaries and allowances of the affected ex-council chiefs. Justice Ejembi Eko, delivering the lead judgment in the Oyo State case, criticized Makinde’s decision to unlawfully dismiss the elected council chiefs before the end of their tenure.
Justice Eko said: “I will not conclude this appeal without commenting on the disturbing ugly face of impunity displayed by the Governor of Oyo State on 29th May, 2019 which is tantamount to executive lawlessness, outrightly and vehemently condemned.
“Local Government Chairman and Councillors, being persons duly elected by the people cannot just be removed and their councils dissolved whimsically and arbitrarily by any other elected persons in clear abuse of their office and powers. It is not right in law and under the Constitution to do that.”
While the Katsina State Government has since paid its ex-council chiefs, who were unlawfully sacked, the Oyo State Government, under Makinde has failed to pay the ex-council chiefs he sacked before the end of their tenure, and which sack the Supreme Court voided in its May 7, 2021 judgment in the appeal marked: SC/CV/556/2020.
Counsel to the ex-council chiefs, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN) had, during a hearing in the appeal filed by Makinde and others before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, told the court that some of his clients have died while others are suffering after they were unjustly sacked as elected council officials by Makinde, who he blamed for the delay in paying the judgment debt.
Source:
IntelRegion
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