Oyo government’s accounts frozen by court due to N3.5b debt

Ten commercial banks throughout the nation have frozen the Oyo state government’s accounts, per an order granted by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.

In a ruling on a procedure started by former Oyo state council chiefs, who were fired by Governor Seyi Makinde on May 29, 2019, Justice A. O. Ebong gave the decision. In 2021, Makinde and other state officials/agencies were hit with a judgement for N4,874,889,425.60.

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According to the Supreme Court’s May 7, 2021 ruling, the Attorney General, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Oyo State Accountant General, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission are the other officials and agencies listed with Makinde as judgement debtors.

The goal of the garnishee proceeding is for the ex-council chiefs, under the leadership of Bashorun Majeed Ajuwon, to recoup the remaining N3,424,889,425.60 (N3.5b) from the real judgement sum, of which Makinde only paid N1.5m in 2022.

The amount that remained unpaid for the Supreme Court ruling was N3,374,889,425.60. However, on December 8, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the appeal of Makinde and others and granted N50 million as costs.

Zenith Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Jaiz Bank, and Union Bank are the banks where the Oyo State Government’s accounts are banned.

The goal of the garnishee proceeding is for the ex-council chiefs, under the leadership of Bashorun Majeed Ajuwon, to recoup the remaining N3,424,889,425.60 (N3.5b) from the real judgement sum, of which Makinde only paid N1.5m in 2022.

The amount that remained unpaid for the Supreme Court ruling was N3,374,889,425.60. However, on December 8, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the appeal of Makinde and others and granted N50 million as costs.

Zenith Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Jaiz Bank, and Union Bank are the banks where the Oyo State Government’s accounts are banned.

But, while the Katsina State Government has since paid its ex-council chiefs, who were unlawfully sacked, the Oyo State Government, under Makinde has failed to paid the ex-council chiefs he sacked before the end of their tenure, and which sack the Supreme Court voided in its May 7, 2021 judgment in the appeal marked: SC/CV/556/2020.

Lawyer to the ex-council chiefs, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN) had, during a hearing in the appeal filed by Makinde and others before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, told the court that some of his clients have died while others are suffering after they were unjustly sacked as elected council officials by Makinde, who he blamed for the delay in paying the judgment debt.

In a court document, the ex-council chiefs said: “As at date, we have lost 26 of our members, whose children are crying to the conscience of His Excellency (Makinde) for justice.

However, the Oyo State Government, led by Makinde, has neglected to compensate the former council chiefs he fired before the end of their term, a decision the Supreme Court ruled to be invalid in its ruling on May 7, 2021 in the appeal with the case number SC/CV/556/2020. Meanwhile, the Katsina State Government has since paid its former council chiefs who were fired unlawfully.

Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), the attorney for the former council chiefs, informed the court during a hearing on an appeal Makinde and others filed before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, that some of his clients had passed away and others were in pain as a result of Makinde’s unfair dismissal of them from their positions as elected council members. Makinde was the one he blamed for the delay in making the judgement debt payment.

However, the Oyo State Government, led by Makinde, has neglected to compensate the former council chiefs he fired before the end of their term, a decision the Supreme Court ruled to be invalid in its ruling on May 7, 2021 in the appeal with the case number SC/CV/556/2020. Meanwhile, the Katsina State Government has since paid its former council chiefs who were fired unlawfully.

Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), the attorney for the former council chiefs, informed the court during a hearing on an appeal Makinde and others filed before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, that some of his clients had passed away and others were in pain as a result of Makinde’s unfair dismissal of them from their positions as elected council members. Makinde was the one he blamed for the delay in making the judgement debt payment.

The former council heads stated in a court filing: “As of right now, we have lost 26 of our members, whose children are pleading for justice with His Excellency (Makinde)’s conscience.”

“It goes without saying that our departed colleagues would not have had enough money to treat the illnesses that claimed the majority of them if His Excellency (Makinde) had paid our money within the six months that the previous Attorney General specifically promised on his behalf.”