22 houses: My probe by presidential panel illegal, says Ekweremadu

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has urged the
Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the ex parte application
filed by the Federal Government seeking the forfeiture of his 22
“undeclared” houses in Nigeria and abroad.

In a motion he filed in opposition to the Federal Government’s
ex parte application to seize the houses, Ekweremadu contended that
the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of
Public Property had no locus standi to file a suit for the
forfeiture of his houses.

He urged the court to declare the panel unconstitutional,
illegal, null and void.

The lawmaker argued that the presidential panel was established
by a military decree in 1983, and had since been replaced by the
Code of Conduct Bureau pursuant to the provisions of the Code of
Conduct Bureau/Tribunal Act and the 1999 Constitution.

He contended that “a dead panel” lacked the locus standi to, on
behalf of the Federal Government, probe and apply for an interim
court order for the forfeiture of his 22 assets. Urging the court
to dismiss the applicant’s ex parte motion, he contended that the
Code of Conduct Tribunal and not the Federal High Court, had
jurisdiction to hear matters relating to assets declaration by a
public officer.

The Okoi-Obon-Obla-led presidential panel had on March 21, 2018
filed an ex parte motion seeking an order of interim forfeiture of
22 of Ekweremadu’s houses located in Nigeria and abroad pending the
conclusion of the investigation of the Deputy Senate President’s
failure to declare the properties as part of his assets.

The panel, through its lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), had, in
the ex parte motion, stated that “preliminary investigation by the
applicant revealed that a prima facie case of a breach of the Code
of Conduct for Public Officers has been made out against the
respondent (Ekweremadu).”

The houses, which the panel accused Ekweremdu of acquiring
between 2007 and 2015 but failed to declare in June 2007 and June
2015, include nine in Abuja, two in London, the United Kingdom,
eight in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate and three in Florida, the
United States.

Ekweremadu is the only respondent to the motion marked
FHC/ABJ/CS/284/2018.

The matter has been assigned to Justice Murtala Nyako of the
Abuja Division of the Federal High Court but no date has been
slated for hearing.

But Ekweremadu, through his lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo
(SAN), on Monday filed a motion seeking to be allowed to air his
opposition to the Federal Government’s ex parte motion.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has urged the
Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the ex parte application
filed by the Federal Government seeking the forfeiture of his 22
“undeclared” houses in Nigeria and abroad.

In a motion he filed in opposition to the Federal Government’s
ex parte application to seize the houses, Ekweremadu contended that
the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of
Public Property had no locus standi to file a suit for the
forfeiture of his houses.

He urged the court to declare the panel unconstitutional,
illegal, null and void.

The lawmaker argued that the presidential panel was established
by a military decree in 1983, and had since been replaced by the
Code of Conduct Bureau pursuant to the provisions of the Code of
Conduct Bureau/Tribunal Act and the 1999 Constitution.

He contended that “a dead panel” lacked the locus standi to, on
behalf of the Federal Government, probe and apply for an interim
court order for the forfeiture of his 22 assets. Urging the court
to dismiss the applicant’s ex parte motion, he contended that the
Code of Conduct Tribunal and not the Federal High Court, had
jurisdiction to hear matters relating to assets declaration by a
public officer.

The Okoi-Obon-Obla-led presidential panel had on March 21, 2018
filed an ex parte motion seeking an order of interim forfeiture of
22 of Ekweremadu’s houses located in Nigeria and abroad pending the
conclusion of the investigation of the Deputy Senate President’s
failure to declare the properties as part of his assets.

The panel, through its lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), had, in
the ex parte motion, stated that “preliminary investigation by the
applicant revealed that a prima facie case of a breach of the Code
of Conduct for Public Officers has been made out against the
respondent (Ekweremadu).”

The houses, which the panel accused Ekweremdu of acquiring
between 2007 and 2015 but failed to declare in June 2007 and June
2015, include nine in Abuja, two in London, the United Kingdom,
eight in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate and three in Florida, the
United States.

Ekweremadu is the only respondent to the motion marked
FHC/ABJ/CS/284/2018.

The matter has been assigned to Justice Murtala Nyako of the
Abuja Division of the Federal High Court but no date has been
slated for hearing.

But Ekweremadu, through his lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo
(SAN), on Monday filed a motion seeking to be allowed to air his
opposition to the Federal Government’s ex parte motion.