Order Freezing Osun Govt’s Account Conceals Facts, Says Commissioner

Osun State government has described the ex parte order of a Lagos court freezing the state’s account on 9 September as not only procured by deceit but also concealing material facts.

Hence, the state government has filed an application before the Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking the setting aside of the ex parte order for myriad reasons, including the fact that the said order does not align with public policy.

A statement issued in Osogbo on Sunday by the state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, said that the ex parte order was procured by deceit and concealment of material facts by Gamji Nigeria Company Limited.

His words: “The application for setting aside the order was filed before the Federal High Court on 2nd October, 2026”.

Alimi submitted that just as the court order was a product of deceit and substantial non-disclosure of material facts to the Court, the arbitration award it sought to enforce was also fraught with several irregularities which had prompted the state government’s legal team to approach the High Court of Lagos State to set aside the Award.

“In fact, it was reported that the purported Award, which the ex parte order of 9 September 2026, referenced, does not exist as there was no Arbitral Award made against the State Government in July 2024.

“The only Arbitral Award against the State Government was in July 2026, and the said Award is presently being challenged before the Lagos State High Court by the State Government’s legal team”.

Narrating the historical genesis of the case, the statement noted that the 2017 contract dispute began under the former Oyetola administration, which denied Gamji’s request for a variation, particularly regarding whether the Osun State government was indebted to Gamji Nigeria Company to the tune of $15,982,638. 22 (Fifteen million, nine hundred and eighty-two thousand, six hundred and thirty-eight US Dollars and twenty-two Cents) or not.

According to the state government, the matter proceeded to arbitration, which was deliberately mismanaged and handled in favour of Gamji Nig. Co. Ltd., while denying the state government fair hearing and full participation in the arbitration process as mandated by best practice in the arbitration process.

“The irregularities that characterised the arbitration proceedings and the Final Arbitral Award are matters which have been submitted by the state government to the High Court sitting in Lagos State,” he said.

According to the commissioner, the Counsel to the state government had filed the suit to set aside the Arbitral Award at the Lagos State High Court since the 1st day of September, 2026, prior to the time when Gamji Nig. Co. Ltd. surreptitiously approached the Federal High Court to deceitfully procure an ex parte order.