An Ogun High Court sitting in Ijebu Ode has dismissed an ex-parte application filed by the suspended Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Wale Adedayo, asking the court to stop further investigations and actions by the councilors probing him on allegations of financial mismanagement.
The court, in a ruling on Wednesday, September 13, noted that the application by the plaintiff was not timely since he had received a notice on August 31 of the said resolution but waited till September 11 before filing his application.
“Delay defeats equity,” said Justice Ayodele Omoniyi, the presiding judge.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the claimant was ordered to put the defendants on notice and return for the hearing of the originating summons on September 22, 2023.
The Ijebu East Legislative Council councilors had suspended Adedayo in continuation of investigations on alleged financial malpractices and directed the vice chairman to take over pending the conclusion of its investigation.
Adedayo’s lawyer, Barrister O.T. Are, had argued in the ex-parte motion that the investigation by the councilors was a violation of his client’s fundamental rights and asked the court to restrain them from further proceeding.
However, the court dismissed the application, saying that Adedayo had not shown any evidence that his fundamental rights had been violated.
The court also said that the councilors had the right to investigate the allegations against Adedayo and that he could challenge the outcome of the investigation in court if he is dissatisfied with it.
