Keyamo’s Self-inflicted Fine

Notes for File

In what could be see as a case of poking the sleeping dog, the immediate-past Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has landed himself in trouble with what a judge described as his frivolous court action.

 Keyamo’s fate will serve as a lesson to lawyers who always rush to court to pursue frivolous claims.

The senior lawyer is to cough out N10million for filing a frivolous suit against the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 election, Atiku Abubakar.

However, in a statement that was signed by the Assistant Head of his Chambers in Abuja, John Ainetor, the former minister vowed to appeal against the judgment.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja who in his ruling described the suit as “frivolous, vexatious and abuse of court processes,” directed that the fine should be paid “at 10 per cent per annum until the cost is finally liquidated.”

He awarded a N5 million fine each in favour of Atiku and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

The order followed an oral application by counsel for Atiku, Benson Igbanoi, and that of the ICPC, Oluwakemi Odogun, asking for cost after the matter was dismissed.

Keyamo, who was also the spokesperson of the dissolved Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 on January 20.

In the application, he had sought an order compelling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to probe and prosecute Atiku.

Keyamo based his action on the ground of claims by one of Atiku’s aides, Michael Achimugu, who had alleged  that between 1999 and 2007 when Atiku was vice president, he conspired with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to rip off the country using what he termed “Special Purpose Vehicles.”

He filed the suit after the 72-hour ultimatum he gave the three investigating agencies elapsed.

Keyamo alleged that the former vice president’s action was in violation of Section 18(2) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Section 96(1) of the Penal Code, hence, unqualified to contest in February 25 poll.

It was shocking that after all the noise, braggadocio and attack on Atiku’s reputation, Keyamo was unable to disclose any reasonable cause of action or prove his case to warrant the court exercising its discretion in his favour.