The Anambra State Government led by Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has been caught secretly filing document at the Federal High Court of Anambra State of Nigeria, Awka Judicial Division, to avoid being disgraced in court by Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, in the ongoing saga respecting the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds to the 21 Local Government Councils in the state.
The document, dated May 28, 2024, was filed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra State, Prof. Sylva Chika Ifemeje, Esq.
Prof. Ifemeje was found in the company of one Obianuju Umeh, Esq. and one Sunday Nnaba, Esq. of the Department of Civil Litigation in the Ministry of Justice, Awka, the State capital.
It could be recalled that Diaspora Digital Media (DDM), on May 4, 2024, reported how Dr. Okonkwo dragged four out of the five former governors of Anambra State to court.
The four affected former Anambra governors include Chief Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, Mr. William Maduabuchukwu Obiano and Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo
The FAAC saga
The issue revolves around the FAAC allocations to the 21 Local Government Councils in the state since 2003, beginning with the administration of Chief Ngige.
Trouble started with the suit, filed on April 17, 2024, with case no. FHC/AWK/CS/90/2024, initiated by Dr. Okonkwo, the Plaintiff.
It has the following 8 individuals and offices as Defendants:
The Federal Republic of Nigeria
Governor of Anambra State
The Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice Anambra State
The Anambra State House of Assembly
Former Governor Chief Dr. Christopher Ngige (for himself and on behalf of – the Local Government Transition Chairmen and Councilors (Committees),
Former Governor Mr. Peter Gregory Obi (for himself, and on behalf of – the Local Government Transition Chairmen and Councilors (Committees),
Former Governor Chief Dr. Williams Maduabuchukwu Obiano (for himself, and on behalf of – the Local Government Transition Chairmen and Councilors (Committees),
Mr. Livinus Onyenwe (for himself and on behalf of the Local Government Transition Chairmen and Councillor’s (Committees) serving under Soludo, the current governor of Anambra State
The Plaintiff, Dr. Okonkwo, argued that the Transition Chairmen and Councillors were unconstitutionally appointed and, thus, served under illegal regimes for the period covering 1999 till date.
Okonkwo also wants the various governments to account before the court how the state’s allocations were utilized.
He, therefore, asked the former governors to account for the legality of the Local Government Council FAAC funds when the Transition Chairmen and Councillors were unconstitutionally appointed.
The “government magic”
The FAAC matter was initially slated for mentioning on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at the Federal High Court holden at Awka.
However, when SUMMITNEWS went to observe the proceedings, the judge declined to call up the matter and deferred it to a future date.
In the interim, meanwhile, this medium was informed by a whistleblower that Prof. Ifemeje secretly filed a document in response to the suit.
Upon further investigation, it was uncovered that the filed document was a “Memorandum of Conditional Appearance for the 2nd to 8th Defendants“.
Ifemeje pleaded the court in the document: “Please enter conditional appearance for the 2nd to 8th Defendants in the suit.”
When contacted by SUMMITNEWS, the alarmed Okonkwo confirmed that the document was never served on him.
He lamented that rather than serve him using the court bailiff, the state government deceived the court that it will personally serve him, only to abscond with the said documents.
Find below a copy of the document obtained by SUMMITNEWS below
In the meantime, the matter was adjourned indefinitely until after the two-month vacation coming up next month.
SUMMITNEWS learnt that the Local Government FAAC funds matter may finally be fixed for October or November 2024.
In the meantime, details of the “Memorandum of Conditional Appearance for the 2nd to 8th Defendants ” will be published in subsequent report.
Stay tuned…
