CBN And OAGF Refute Claims Of Illegitimate Fund Release To Osun APC Local Government Officials Amid Ongoing Litigation
By Oludare Joshua
In a significant legal confrontation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) have categorically denied allegations that they released withheld funds to local government chairmen and councillors from Osun State, who were elected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022.
During proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, representatives from CBN and OAGF described assertions that funds had been unlawfully disbursed to the disputed officials as mere rumors. This denial arose after Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, counsel for the Osun State Government, informed Justice Emeka Nwite that the funds, which are currently under judicial consideration, were reportedly released to the APC chairmen between Thursday and Friday of last week, despite a court order to maintain the status quo pending the outcome of the litigation.
Adetunbi further revealed that the funds had been transferred through special accounts at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), and in response, the Osun State Government sought a restraining order from a High Court in Oyo State to prevent further disbursement. This action was taken due to a strike affecting the court in Osun State, which impacted the state’s ability to pursue the matter locally.
While acknowledging that the restraining order had been served to both the bank and relevant authorities, Adetunbi admitted that he had no documentary proof to present at that time.
Legal representatives for CBN and OAGF, Murtala Abdulrasheed and Tajudeen Oladoja, both SANs, firmly denied the claims of fund release during their submissions, emphasizing that the plaintiff’s assertions lacked corroborative evidence and remained speculative.
In discussions concerning the case’s jurisdiction, Adetunbi argued for the transfer of the hearing back to Osogbo, asserting that the Chief Judge’s decision to move the case to Abuja was unwarranted and lacked urgency. He criticized the reasoning behind the transfer, which claimed all defendants were based in Abuja, suggesting such a declaration should originate from the defendants themselves rather than the Chief Judge.
Conversely, CBN and OAGF contended that the administrative decision by Chief Judge John Tsoho to reassign the case to Abuja was appropriate and should not be contested.
Justice Nwite has scheduled a ruling on the jurisdictional matter for October 16, 2023, which will determine whether the case will be reinstated in Osogbo or remain in Abuja.
