From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, was yesterday docked at the High Court, Ado Ekiti, over alleged N900 million unpaid professional fee to his former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi.
Ajayi was Fayose’s AG during his first and second tenures as Ekiti governor, between 2003-2006 and 2014-2018. The suit was filed by Ajayi on December 17, 2018.
In a suit with registration number HAD/113/2018, Ajayi said he handled a total of 18 cases through his law chambers for the former governor, with each costing N50 million as professional fee, which he alleged were not paid for. Ajayi said those cases were prosecuted for Fayose between 2006 and 2014, which bordered on his impeachment in 2006 and the corruption case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), among others.
In the writ of summons deposed to by the claimant, Ajayi prayed the court for an order compelling Fayose to pay the professional fee without delay. Ajayi also sought an order compelling the defendant to pay 20 percent interest on the debt from October 5, 2018 and 10 percent from the day of judgement.
But Fayose, in his preliminary objection, urged the court to dismiss the case on the premise that it was statute barred, improperly constituted and that the claimant failed to comply with the conditions precedent.
While being cross-examined in court, Fayose, described himself as a full time politician, and he admitted to his statement on oath of April 16, 2019, that the suit was ill-conceived and lacking the legal validity to fly.
Speaking on his relationship with the former AG, Fayose said: “Yes, I knew him; he did some few works for me. Between 2006 – 2017, he was working with me and also keeping documents for me.”
At yesterday’s proceeding, Ajayi was represented by Barrister Bayo Idowu, while the former governor was represented by his counsel, Ahmed Tafa. The matter presided over by Justice L.O. Ogundana, was adjourned to December 13, 2022, when both parties would adopt their final replies and written addresses.