Fayose arraigned for allegedly owing ex-AG N900m legal fee

Former governnor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose was on Tuesday arraigned at a State High Court in Ado-Ekiti

He was brought before the court for his alleged inability to offset N900million he owed his former Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, as legal fee.

Ajayi was Fayose’s Attorney-General and Justice Commissioner during his first and second terms as governor of Ekiti State from 2003 to 2006 and from 2014 to 2017.

In the case brought before the court, the ex-Attorney-General claimed he handled eight cases through his law firm for Fayose, with each costing N50million as professional fee, which he alleged were not paid.

He said the cases were prosecuted for Fayose between 2006 and 2014, which bordered on his impeachment in 2006 and the corruption case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), among others.

In the writ of summon deposed to by the claimant, Ajayi asked the court for an order compelling the former governor to pay the professional fee without delay.

He also sought an order compelling the defendant to pay 20 per cent interest on the debt from October 5, 2018, and 10 per cent from the day of judgment.

Fayose, in his preliminary objection, urged the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that it was statute-barred, improperly constituted and that the claimant failed to comply with the conditions precedent.

The former governor, while being cross-examined, described himself as a full-time politician. He admitted to his statement on oath of April 16, 2019 that the suit was ill-conceived and lacked legal validity.

Speaking about his relationship with the former AG, Fayose said: “Yes, I knew him; he did some work for me. Between 2006 and 2017, he was working with me and also keeping documents for me.”

Justice Olukayode Ogundana adjourned the case till December 13 when the parties are expected to adopt their final replies and written addresses.

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