Housing allocation: Court grants leave to CUPP to serve four Ogun Commissioners, EFCC, ICPC, Originating Summons

…. declares jurisdiction

A Federal High Court, sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has granted leave to the Coalition of United Political Parties, (CUPP) to serve all processes filed in the suit against the State Commissioner for Housing, and three others.

This directive is contained in the order of Hon Justice A.A. Okeke which directed that all the originating summon filed in the suit marked FHC/AB/CS/43/2025 be served on the State Commissioners of Housing, Finance as well as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

Other defendants in the suit, are Commissioner for Works, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).

It will be recalled that the State chapter of CUPP, its Chairman, Otunba Olufemi Soluade, Com. Samson Okunsanya; State Secretary and Alhaji Moshood Adesina filed ex parte motion at a Federal High Court in Abeokuta, against the State Commissioners of Housing, Finance as well as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

Other defendants , are Commissioner for Works, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).

In the ex parte motion dated Friday, March 21, 2025 and signed by Prof. Yemi Oke, SAN, the quartet of CUPP, Otunba Soluade, Com. Okunsanya and Alhaji Adesina prayed for an order of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, for nine reliefs bordering on particulars/identities of allotees of Ogun lands and housing schemes, spread across the state’s three Senatorial Districts.

The plaintiffs specifically asked the court for an Order of Mandamus to compel the Governor of Ogun State (Prince Dapo Abiodun), Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Housing, Commissioner for Works and Commissioner for Finance to make available to them (the plaintiffs), names and other particulars of allotees as well as proofs of payment for such allocations in respect of the the GRA Regeneration Scheme in Abeokuta, Idi– Aba Housing Scheme and Old Government Technical College, Olobe, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Igbeba Housing Scheme Ijebu-Ode and
President Muhammadu Buhari Estate, Kobape, Abeokuta.

Others are Workers’ Estate Kobape, Abeokuta, Prince Court Estate, Sagamu, Prince Court Estate, Ijebu-Ode, Prince Court Estate, Ilaro as well as The Gateway Aviation Village, Iperu-Remo.

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The plaintiffs claimed that they needed the allotees’ particulars and evidence of payment in respect of the above listed state government properties for “onward transmission” to the EFCC and ICPC “for confirmation and verification, pursuant to section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.”

It was learnt that the ex-parte motion followed the failure of the Ministry of Housing to furnish the plaintiffs with the said particulars being sought about the allotees as requested earlier since January this year, which eventually compelled them to write the state government on February 10, 2025 of the final notice of the lawsuit.

The Court also ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the matter and fixed October 15 for the hearing of originating summons.