Why Court Failed To Unfreeze Fayose’s Account By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ado-Ekiti—The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday failed to unfreeze Governor Ayo Fayose account, as it adjourned hearing in the case involving the governor and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the freezing of two accounts belonging to and operated by the governor in Zenith Bank Plc.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo adjourned the case till September 30, 2016 on the request of Fayose’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who sought for adjournment to be able to respond to issues raised by the EFCC in its reply to a motion on notice dated June 23, 2016, wherein the applicant sought an order lifting the restriction placed on Fayose’s accounts with Zenith bank.

The EFCC’s counter position was supported with 10-paragraph affidavits and a lone exhibit by the EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo. Oyedepo argued that the EFCC had on the 29th of June received an order of the court directing the commission to appear and show cause why a mandatory order being craved by Fayose should not be granted to unfreeze the two accounts already restricted with the bank.

This was supported with 10-paragraph affidavit and nine exhibits marked EFCC 01 to 09, adding that the plaintiff and the 2nd respondent had been duly served. The Court had on June 28 ordered the EFCC to appear before it and show cause why Fayose’s restricted accounts in Zenith bank should not be lifted.

Fayose had in an ex parte motion deposed to by Bimpe Olatemiju prayed the court to grant a mandatory order lifting the ban placed on the said accounts, describing the EFCC’s action as an infraction and infringement on absolute immunity conferred on Fayose by Section 308 of the 1999 constitution. While opening his defence at yesterday’s proceeding, Oyedepo said:

“We received the order of the court on the 29th of June, 2016 at our office in Lagos directing us to appear before your lordship for freezing of the accounts of the applicant in the custody of the 2nd respondent.

“We have complied with your order as a law abiding agency by filing all necessary papers and the plaintiff and the second respondent have been duly served”, he said. Ozekhome, who confirmed the service of the papers, pointed out that he was served three minutes to the start of the hearing, which he said had foreclosed his readiness to argue the case on point of law.

PDP lawmaker sacked Meantime, the support base of Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose at the Ekiti State House of Assembly suffered a set back yesterday, as the same court nullified the election of one of his trusted ally in the Assembly, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP), legislator, representing Ado Constituency 1, Mr. Musa Arugundade and declared Mr Toyin Obayemi of the same party as the validly elected candidate in the April 11, 2015 general elections.

The Court held that after the disqualification of Mr Talabi Odunayo,, who was the winner of the primaries conducted on November 29, 2014, over alleged certificate forgery, Obayemi would have been used as replacement, having come second in the primaries in compliance with the electoral act.