Supreme Court Reserves Judgment In Osun Council Funds’ Suit

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgement successful the suit filed by the Osun State authorities seeking to restrain the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) from releasing the withheld section authorities funds to the disputed chairmen elected connected the level of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Uwani Aba’aji, who led the apex court’s panel, reserved the judgement connected the substance aft taking arguments from Musbau Adetumbi (SAN), who represented the Osun State attorney-general and Chief Akin Olujim (SAN), who stood for the AGF.

In the suit, the Osun attorney-general prayed the tribunal for an order, directing the AGF to instantly merchandise the statutory allocations to the chairmen and councillors validly elected for the 30 councils.

The plaintiff, who invoked the Supreme Court’s archetypal jurisdiction based connected a missive by AGF acknowledging the disputed APC chairmen, besides sought an bid stopping the justness curate from further withholding, suspending, oregon seizing monthly allocations and revenues lasting to the recognition of the constituent section governments, having democratically elected chairmen successful place.

The grouse of the authorities authorities was that the AGF was incorrect successful his missive recognising APC chairmen erstwhile the substance was pending earlier the tribunal of records.

He besides predicated his lawsuit connected the crushed that the predetermination that brought successful the APC officials arsenic had been nullified by a Federal High Court and upheld by the Court of Appeal successful Abuja.

Adetumbi, who presented the lawsuit of the plaintiff, pleaded with the 7 justices to uphold his arguments and assistance each the reliefs sought by his client.

In his opposition, the AGF argued a preliminary objection wherever helium urged the apex tribunal to disregard the lawsuit connected assorted grounds.

Olujimi argued that the plaintiff lacked locus lasting (legal power) to bring the lawsuit earlier the Supreme Court to invoke the archetypal jurisdiction due to the fact that the substance is betwixt 2 governmental parties.

He besides contended that the apex tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit due to the fact that it was not competent to beryllium presented straight to the apex tribunal arsenic done by the plaintiff.

The elder lawyer argued that the suit did not disclose immoderate origin of action, adding that the tenure of the disputed assembly chairmen is inactive moving until October 22 and that the due happening was for the statutory allocation to beryllium released to them to tally the councils.

Similarly, helium argued that Osun AG had abused tribunal processes by filing cases successful astir 7 precocious courts connected the aforesaid taxable with the aforesaid parties.

Therefore, helium urged the tribunal to garbage to assistance the alleviation sought by the plaintiff and disregard the suit.