Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had raised allegations of professional misconduct against Justice Taiwo .O. Taiwo of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court who granted similar ex parte orders against it in favour of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
The anti-graft agency further observed strangely that the same lawyer who argued and secured in favour of Saraki was the same lawyer, Mr. Sunday Onubi, who argued Governor Okorocha’s ex parte motion before Justice Taiwo.
Besides, the anti-graft agency further observed that the two ex parte orders by the judge against it in favour of Saraki and Okorocha were the same.
It said for instance, after hearing Okorocha’s motion ex parte in Suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/474/2019, which was argued by his counsel, Sunday Onubi, Justice Taiwo ruled:
“Upon hearing the motion ex parte dated and filed on the 30th day, April 2019, an order is hereby made directing the respondents by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or officers to stay action in connection with the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.”
The respondents in the above suit were the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the State Security Services (SSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CBB).
A similar order was given by the same judge in favour of the Senate President, Saraki against the same respondents in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/507/2019, which was also argued by Sunday Onubi on his behalf.