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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, indicated its intention to respond in a suit filed by the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Festus Keyamo, against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 poll.
Also, lawyer to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Oluwakemi Odogun, has notified Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja of the commission’s plan to file its response in the case.
Keyamo had instituted the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 against Abubakar over allegations bordering on money laundering.
Also joined as defendants in the suit include the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), ICPC and the EFCC as second to fourth defendants, respectively.
Keyamo had earlier asked law enforcement agencies to arrest Abubakar based on an audio recording released by Michael Achimugu, his former aide. In the audio, the former vice-president was alleged to have explained how shell organisations were set up to divert public funds. Justice Omotosho had, on March 7, threatened to strike out the suit over Keyamo’s inability to diligently prosecute the case.
Upon resumed hearing, Keyamo’s counsel, Okechukwu Uju-azorji, informed that the matter was slated for hearing. Uju-azorji said the former vice president, the first defendant, served on him a preliminary objection and that they had responded. The lawyer said Abubakar, however, was not represented in court, yesterday, to take his application.
He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the first defendant to take his objection.
Counsel to the EFCC, Senami Adeosun, who also prayed the court for a short time to enable them file their process in the suit, said they were still within time to respond. Odogun, who represented ICPC, spoke in the same vein.
“We were served on March 15 with the originating processes. We sought an adjournment since we are within time to file,” she said.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 18 for hearing of the pending preliminary objection. Omotosho, who ordered that hearing notices be issued to Abubakar and CCB, that were not represented in court, directed that parties interested in filing any application should do so before the next adjourned date.
