Dare Babalola
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Yomi Alliyu, has questioned the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) recent stance on the Osun State local government funds.
In a statement he signed personally on Thursday, the senior lawyer argued that the law is not a one way traffic, stressing that the defendant will always have converse arguments against the Plaintiff/Claimant.
According to Chief Alliyu, if he were the Attorney General of the Federation, he would have ordered the release of the funds to the current administrators with instructions to the ICPC and EFCC to monitor the funds.
He stated, “If I were to be the AGF, I would have ordered the release of the money to those at the helms of affairs with instructions to ICPC and EFCC to follow the money and give the Chairmen close markings!”
This approach, he argued, would allow the local governments to function while any aggrieved party could seek legal recourse.
He also raised concerns about the Court of Appeal’s subsequent judgment on the matter, questioning its validity and arguing that the court cannot preserve something that has been nullified, saying, “Can you put something on nothing?”
Alliyu further noted that the Court of Appeal’s judgment may have been “reached per incuriam,” which means without consideration of relevant law or facts.
