Ekiti Group Drags State Government To Court Over Cargo Airport Records
A socio-political pressure group under the aegis of Ekiti Patriotic Consultative Forum (EPCF) has dragged the Ekiti state government to the High Court, Ado -Ekiti, the state capital over the state cargo airport.
The group approached the court for an order of Mandamus compelling the state government to release to it all document including the financial records and loans, relating to the Ekiti Cargo Airport project.
The motion – exparte for the request for the order of Mandamus, was filed before the state High Court on 28th March, 2024, in suit No- HAD//352m/2024 , between the group and the government.
The governor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, as well as the Accountant General of the state, are defendants in the Mandamus suit, instituted, but no date had been fixed for hearing yet.
The group disclosed this in a statement and court processes made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, by its Lead Solicitor, Barr. Oluwagbenga Babawibe.
Babawibe said the request for document including the financial records and loans concerning the airport project was made, in pursuant to the provisions of the Ekiti State Freedom of Information Law, 2011.
He said his law firm, Urban Attorneys & Solicitors, acting for the forum, had since November 22, 2023, written a letter to the government, through the Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, as well the State Accountant General requesting for all the said documents, but without any action.
He said when the letter was written in 2023, the group had given a seven-day ultimatum, within which the request should be accessed, and also warned then, that failure to act on it, would force the group into approaching the court to compel government to act.
He however regretted that up till now, despite all the threats, no response had been received from the government, hence the decision to resort to the court, to force government to act on the said request.
According to him, documents being demanded include; certify true copy of the entire contracts, including information on the loans obtained for the said project, and information on all funds, disbursed on the project so far, from the treasury of the state.
In an affidavit, in support of the said motion exparte, Tope Kolawole, also a legal practitioner in the same law firm, said the Ekiti Patriotic Consultative Forum, is comprised of highly responsible Ekiti indigenes, who are always working towards the development and growth of Ekiti.
Kolawe said that the latest action by the group, had become necessary, for want of probity, accountability, and effective management of public funds.
He noted that the group, which has the right to know how public fund is spent, had no option than to apply for leave of the court, to file for the said order of mandamus, after all subtle means at getting the relevant documents, failed to yield results.
