The Oyo State Government is currently analyzing a recent ruling by an Abuja Federal High Court which resulted in the freezing of 10 of its bank accounts. This development was disclosed by Sulaiman Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, during a conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan on Friday.
The court order, issued by Justice A.O. Ebong on Dec. 15, is a result of a garnishee proceeding initiated by local government chairmen who were dismissed by Governor Seyi Makinde on May 29, 2019. The Supreme Court had later overturned the dismissal of the chairmen and councilors, declared by the governor during his first-term inauguration in 2019.
The affected chairmen had secured a judgment amounting to N4,874,889,425.60 against Governor Makinde and other state officials and agencies. While N1.5 billion has been paid, there remains a balance of N3.5 billion.
In response to the ruling, the Special Adviser conveyed that the legal verdict is currently undergoing scrutiny by the office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. The state government intends to formulate its stance on the matter after a comprehensive review of the ruling.
“This is a delicate issue that demands thorough consideration. As such, the ruling will be carefully examined before the government presents its position,” stated Mr. Sulaiman.
The outcome of this evaluation is anticipated to shape the state government’s next steps in addressing the implications and ramifications of the court ruling.
