Group Faults Exparte Order On Ekiti Airport Project Probe

Members of Ekiti Justice Group (EJG) have faulted the granting of the exparte order by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, barring the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from probing the ex-Ekiti procurement director-general, Seun Odewale and Ariyo Oyinkolawa Adesola over their alleged embezzlement of funds budgeted for the Ekiti Airport Project and other sharp practices.

The group said it was strange that the same Justice Nwite, who issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, despite a subsisting order of a high court stopping his arrest and prosecution, could stop the EFCC from investigating Adesola and Odewale, who served as director- general of the Bureau of Procurement under the administration of Kayode Fayemi.

In a statement issued by its coordinator, Comrade Tunji Oluwasanmi, the EJG accused Justice Nwite of double standards. It wondered why what was “good for the goose in Kogi State was not good for the gander in Ekiti State.”

Just as in the case of Yahaya Bello, the applicant’s lawyer, Chief R.O. Balogun (SAN), in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1340/2024, argued that “while the EFCC is using the investigation of Ekiti State government finances as the basis for interrogating his clients, the propriety of the EFCC’s investigation regarding contracts awarded or executed by the government of Ekiti State is the subject of an appeal pending before the Court of Appeal in Ado-Ekiti.”

Balogun added a pending motion for a stay of execution and an injunction pending appeal.
According to him, the pending case is challenging the EFCC’s power to investigate or inquire into the contracts awarded or projects executed with monies appropriated by the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

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All these arguments adduced in the case of Fayemi’s side were also advanced in the case of Yahaya Bello, but Justice Nwite insisted that Yahaya Bello must face trial despite the pendency of a case in the Supreme Court, challenging the power of the EFCC to investigate or make inquiries into the contracts awarded or projects executed with monies appropriated by the Kogi State House of Assembly.

The group said Nigerians should pay attention to the handling of the cases by Justice Nwite, especially those involving the EFCC, adding that with his handling of the matter involving the former aides of Fayemi and the swiftness with which he granted the exparte order.

While insisting that those who superintended over Ekiti State funds must be made accountable to the people, the group said rather than seeking an order of the court to prevent EFCC’s investigation, those who worked with Fayemi should present themselves for probe if they don’t have something to hide.