First Lady Sued Over National Library Fundraising

The Convener of the Ife Book and Arts Festival and Curator of the Booksfeast Collective, Ayodele Ademiluyi, has filed a suit against President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and respective elder authorities officials implicit funds raised during Mrs Tinubu’s 65th day solemnisation for the completion of the abandoned National Library office successful Abuja.

LEADERSHIP reports that the contention began erstwhile the FirstnLady appealed to Nigerians to lend to the project, describing specified donations arsenic the “best day gift” she could receive.

In a video shared by her spokesperson, Bukola Kukoyi, and amplified connected her authoritative societal media platforms, the First Lady urged well-wishers to enactment a peculiar “Education Fund” alternatively than nonstop cakes, flowers, oregon the fashionable “money flower” gifts.

The entreaty instantly drew backlash, with galore Nigerians accusing the authorities of shifting its law work to citizens. Critics argued that the petition amounted to an admittance of nonaccomplishment by successive administrations, including the Tinubu government, to implicit the multi-billion-naira task contempt repeated promises.

Ademiluyi took the substance to tribunal successful a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1900/25, filed connected behalf of himself and the Booksfeast Collective. Joined arsenic respondents are President Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Attorney-General of the Federation, Dr. Tunji Alausa (Minister of Education), the Federal Ministry of Education, Chinwe Veronica (National Librarian of Nigeria), the Board of the National Library of Nigeria, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Zenith Bank Plc, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Among the reliefs sought, Ademiluyi is seeking an bid of mandamus compelling the EFCC to analyse the Zenith Bank relationship allegedly provided by the Ministry of Education to cod donations during the First Lady’s day fundraiser.

He besides wanted Mrs Tinubu and Zenith Bank to disclose to the tribunal however overmuch has been received truthful acold and supply a afloat relationship of however the funds person been utilised.

Recall that the First Lady connected Tuesday announced that she has received implicit N20billion donations for the project.

In addition, the activistic asked the tribunal to bid President Tinubu to allocate astatine slightest 26 per cent of the 2026 national fund to education, successful enactment with UNESCO’s recommendation. He further demanded that a important information beryllium directed to the National Book Development Centre nether the NERDC, which helium said is statutorily liable for promoting publication fairs, literate development, and protecting Nigeria’s publication ecosystem.

As of property time, nary justice has been assigned to the lawsuit and nary day fixed for hearing.