Nyerovwo Oghenetejiri
An activist, Okiroro Iki-Ebieroma, Esq has dragged the Delta State Government and Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice before a High Court sitting in Warri seeking for an Order of Mandamus compelling the Defendants/Respondents to furnish him with the information relating to how the state government expended the N50billion bond specifically the amount spent on the renovation of court halls.
It also prayed the court to compel the Defedants/Respondent to Show their locations, evidence of compliance with due process (open bidding) nature of work done on them by the state government which gulped a whopping N1.0billion from the said N50billion bond.
Counsel to the Claimant/Applicant, Olakunle Oghene-Ovo Edun, Esq had in a letter dated 29th January, 2014 on behalf of his client requested the State Government and to give details and particulars of how the N50billion bond was spent.
According to the Counsels’ letter, “we have the instructions of our client and pursuant to the enabling provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, to and hereby request for your office(s) to furnish us with necessary facts and documents relating to the number of courts, their locations, evidence of compliance with due process (open bidding) and nature of the “rehabilitation” on them by the Delta State Government which gulped N1.0billion from the N50billion bond.”
In response to the letter, the state government in a letter with reference number DTMJ.1/6/603/VOL.1/224 from The Chambers of The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice said that the State Government was not under any obligation to furnish the Claimant information on how the money was expended.
According to the letter signed by K. C. Omuojine, Esq on behalf of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, “I am, however, directed to advice that the Delta State Government is not under any obligation to furnish either yourself or your client with the information as the necessary information has been given in the newsprint.”
According to the Motion Exparte, “as Counsel may be heard on behalf of the Claimant/Applicant praying this Honourable Court for the following orders: An order granting leave to the Applicant to apply for an Order of Mandamus for the purpose of compelling the Respondents to furnish the Applicant the information relating to the expenditure of the Government of Delta State, so particularly stated in exhibit “A” attached to the Verifying Affidavit. And any other order as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the interest of justice.”
