A Federal High Court in Abuja, has granted a motion filed by the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, seeking to amend the two separate suits he filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others.
Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the application, not opposed by the lawyers of the EFCC.
Saraki had filed a motion on notice pursuant to Order 19, Rule 1 and 3, Order 26, Rule 3 of FHC Civil Procedure Rules, 2019 to urge the court for the relisting of the suits and his prayers were granted by the trial judge.
When hearing commenced, Saraki’s counsel, Tunde Afe-Babalola, SAN, informed the court that they filed an application to amend, which was before the court.
The defendants lawyers did not oppose to the application.
Justice Ekwo, therefore, granted the reliefs and adjourned the matter until Feb. 6, 2025, for a hearing, while warning that any lawyer that will be responsible for the matter not being heard on that day will be personally penalized,
The former Senate president had filed the suits following the EFCC’s decision in 2019 to probe Saraki’s earnings between 2003 and 2011 when he was governor of Kwara.
The anti-graft agency was reported to have seized some of his houses in the Ikoyi area of Lagos then, however, Saraki, on May 10, 2019, filed the two separate suits before retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo to challenge the action of the EFCC.
Justice Taiwo, ordered the anti-corruption agency and the other respondents to stay action on the probe pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the applicant.
The EFCC later applied that the judge should recuse himself and the matter be transferred to another court, which prompted the trial Judge to send the case file back to the chief judge and the matter, reassigned to Justice Anwuli Chikere for adjudication.
Justice Ekwo had, on Jan. 25, struck out the two suits filed by Saraki against the anti-graft agency and others for lack of diligent prosecution.
In the suits, the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Inspector-General of Police and State Security Service, SSS, are 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
Others are EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, as 4th to 6th respondents respectively.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
