By Lukman Olabiyi
An attempt to vacate a garnishee order Nisi, on accounts belonging to the Ekiti State Government in several commercial banks in Nigeria yesterday, suffered set back before the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Justice Yellin Bogoro had granted the order in a suit filed by some local government councillors, who claimed that they were illegally sacked in November 2010.
The applicant, Mr Oladimeji Olugbenga Adewumi, had on behalf of himself and other democratically elected councillors, sued Ekiti Government, as judgment creditors.
Joined as defendants in the suit are: the Ekiti Government, the Attorney-General of Ekiti, as well as some commercial banks in Nigeria.
In granting the order last year December, the court held:”That an Order Nisi is granted attaching all sums to the maximum of One Billion, Five Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Sixty-Six Thousand, Seven Hundred Naira.
“That the order shall be served on the judgment debtors as well as the garnishees. All garnishees and the judgment debtors shall be put on notice. That this suit is hereby adjourned until Feb. 8, 2022.”
However, the state government through it Attorney General, Olawale Fapohunda (SAN), filed a motion to abridge time for hearing of the application seeking to vacate the order which was earlier adjourned till February 8, 2022 .
At the resumed hearing of the suit on Friday, Fapohunda was not able to move the motion due to counter affidavit filed by the judgment creditors against the motion.
The Ekiti State Attorney General, applied to the court to grant him short adjournment to response to the counter affidavit filed the judgement creditors.
The judgement creditors’ counsel did not opposed the application and the court subsequently, adjourned further hearing till February 4, 2022.
