An Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan today dismissed an application filed by sacked All Progressives Congress Local Government chairmen in Osun State seeking to overturn orders freezing contentious council funds domiciled in the United Bank for Africa.
The Former Chairmen, described as Persons Affected in their filing, had brought the application in Suit No. I/1149/2025: Attorney General of Osun State & Anor v. UBA PLC, seeking, among other reliefs, leave of court to challenge the ex parte order that froze the accounts granted on September 26, 2025 and the reversal of that order.
They had argued, among others, that the freezing order was obstructing governance at the council area level across the state, and leaving the order in place would amount to a violation of the 1999 Constitution.
At today’s proceedings, the applicants and principal parties were absent.
However, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Musibau Adetunbi, appeared with E.Y. Ajayi and D.G. Egunjobi for the state Attorney General, while Oluwatomiwa Fadeyi represented UBA.
In his ruling, Justice Ladiran Akintola held that the application lacked merit, saying the sacked Chairmen were strangers to the suit since they had earlier withdrawn their application for joinder.
The court held, in particular, that they had no legally recognisable interest in the frozen funds, and therefore lacked the locus standi to seek either the discharge of the ex parte order or the striking out of the suit.
The judge noted that the withdrawal of their joinder motion by their senior counsel was itself an acknowledgement that they had no legal claim to the funds.
Justice Akintola, therefore, dismissed the application in its entirety.
Following the ruling, Adetunbi (SAN) expressed appreciation to the court for what he described as a well-delivered decision.
He also informed the court of his clients’ intention to obtain a clearer copy of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 5, 2025, in SC/CV/773/2025: Attorney General of Osun State v. Attorney General of the Federation, to guide their next steps in the matter.
Justice Akintola, thereafter, adjourned the case till December 18, 2025, for mention.
