At least four bank accounts belonging to the Oyo State government and it’s agencies have been frozen by a High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Justice A. O. Ebong gave the ruling on an ex-parte motion for garnishee order filed by the ex-chairpersons and councillors in the state led by Bashorun Majeed, Bosun Ajuwon and Idris Okusesi.
The ex-chairpersons and councillors who were elected in an election conducted by OYSIEC on 12 March 2018 for a three-year term, had filed a lawsuit against the state government after it became clear that they were going to be sacked.
The funds, according to court filings, are to settle the outstanding balance of N3,374,889,425.60 from the judgment debt owed some former local government chairpersons and councillors sacked on 29 May 29 2019 before the end of their tenure by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
The garnishee proceeding, initiated for the chairpersons and councillors by their lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi, is in the execution of a judgment they got against the governor and six others from the Supreme Court on 7 May 2021.
Some of those listed as debtors alongside Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, include the state’s Attorney General, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Accountant General, the House of Assembly, it’s Speaker and the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).
The court judgement read;
“A garnishee order is hereby granted to attach the judgment debtors’ accounts with garnishees Nos. 1 to 4 in the motion ex-parte, for the purpose of settling the judgment debt outstanding in the sum of N3,374,889,425.60 as awarded by the Supreme Court and conceded by the judgment debtors in Exhibit 11 attached to the applicant’s motion.
“The garnishees (1st to 4th) shall file affidavits and attend court on the next adjourned date to show cause why the order nisi should not be made absolute.
“A copy of this order nisi shall be served on the judgment debtors as required by law. This matter is hereby adjourned to the 4/4/2023 for continuation.”
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