The Ministry of Works has engaged the services of six Senior Advocates of Nigeria to defend lawsuits initiated by aggrieved persons concerning the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
One of the legal suits is seeking information regarding the N15tn budget allocated for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The SANs representing Umahi include Abiodun Owonikoko, Mahmud Mogaji, Prof. J. Olatoke, Yakubu Ruba, Roy Nweze, and Emmanuel Esene.
Our correspondent gathered that their involvement was confirmed in a Memorandum of Conditional Appearance filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
In August 2024, the works minister, David Umahi, revealed that there are over six court cases against the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He, however, assured that the government would not be deterred as the project went through restrictive procurement and compensation has been paid.
A suit initiated by rights lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, asked the court to compel the Federal Ministry of Works, Minister Umahi, and the Federal Government to disclose details of the N15tn budget for the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Ogungbeje filed the case under the Freedom of Information Act, following the failure of the Ministry and its officials to provide the requested information within the statutory timeframe.
In his suit, Ogungbeje is seeking several key reliefs, including, “A Declaration that the refusal or failure by the respondents to furnish information regarding the N15tn Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway budget, despite receiving the applicant’s request dated April 7, 2024, constitutes a violation of the Freedom of Information Act.
The lawyer through an Order of Mandamus dated April 12, 2024, also asked the court to compel respondents to perform their official duty by providing the requested information concerning the project as per the applicant’s request immediately, through the applicant’s solicitors.
It also demanded a fine of N20m against Umahi for allegedly denying access to the requested information.
Responding, Justice Akintayo Aluko, in granting Ogungbeje’s ex-parte motion on June 7, 2024, permitted the applicant to seek judicial review.
The court also granted leave to Ogungbeje to apply for a mandamus order compelling the respondents to disclose the details of the N15tn Lagos-Calabar project.
The motion hearing has been scheduled for January 27, 2025.
As of now, the respondents, including Umahi, have not submitted any official responses to the suit, aside from the filing of the Memorandum of Conditional Appearance by their legal team.
When contacted, the Special adviser on media to the minister, Uchenna Orji, declined to comment on the move by the minister.
He said in a WhatsApp message, “We don’t discuss matters in court and strategies for litigation in public.”