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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, indicated its intention to respond in a suit filed by Festus Keyamo against Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 25 February poll.
This was also as Oluwakemi Odogun, lawyer to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), told Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court, Abuja of the commission’s plan to file its response in the case.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Keyamo, a spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), had instituted the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 against Mr Abubakar over allegations bordering on money laundering.
Also joined as defendants in the suit are the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), ICPC and the EFCC as 2nd to 4th defendants respectively.
Mr Keyamo had earlier asked law enforcement agencies to arrest Atiku based on an audio recording released by Michael Achimugu, his former aide.
In the audio, the former vice-president was alleged to have explained how shell organisations were set up to divert public funds.
NAN reports that Justice Omotosho had, on 7 March, threatened to strike out the suit over Mr Keyamo’s inability to diligently prosecute the case.
Upon resumed hearing, Mr Keyamo’s counsel, Okechukwu Uju-azorji, informed that the matter was slated for hearing.
Mr Uju-azorji said that the former vice president, the 1st defendant, served on him a preliminary objection and that they had responded.
The lawyer said Atiku, however, was not represented in court today to take his application.
He asked the court for an adjournment to enable the 1st defendant to take his objection.
The counsel to the EFCC, Senami Adeosun, who also asked the court for a short time to enable them to file their process in the suit, said they were still within time to respond.
Mr Odogun, who represented ICPC, spoke in the same vein.
“We were served on March 15 with the originating processes. We sought an adjournment since we are within time to file,” she said.
The judge adjourned the matter until 18 April for a hearing of the pending preliminary objection
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