Court suspends Ambode’s probe by state assembly

Ebun Francis|A high court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, ordered the suspension of the probe of former Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

Justice Yetunde Adesanya, who gave the order to temporarily halt the probe, was responding to an ex-parte motion filed by Ambode through Tayo Oyetibo, his counsel.

At the resumed hearing of proceedings on Wednesday, counsel to Ambode, Oyetibo informed the court that notice has been served on the respondents.

However, counsel to the respondents, Adenike Oshinowo, informed the court that the motion was served late, requesting that the respondents be given time to “regularise our processes”.

The judge adjourned the matter till November 20 after granting the respondent’s request.

The Lagos state house of assembly is probing the Ambode over alleged financial impropriety in the purchase of 280 buses to ease the transportation problems of the state and had invited him to appear before the probe panel.

But Ambode had filed a suit before the court, arguing that the procurement of 820 buses was fully captured in the state’s 2018 appropriation bill, which was duly approved by the house.

Respondents in the suit are, Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the assembly, Azeez Sanni, the assembly clerk; Fatai Mojeed, chairman of the ad hoc committee set up by the house to probe the procurement, and members of the committee — Gbolahan Yishawu, A.A Yusuff, Yinka Ogundimu, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, M.L Makinde, Kehinde Joseph, T.A Adewale and O.S Afinni.