Delta State government representatives were conspicuously absent in Federal High Court, Abuja when the suit involving Federal Government return of £4.2m Ibori loot paid to the Federal Government by the United Kingdom government came up for hearing.
The case came up for hearing on Wednesday, February 9th, 2022 at the Federal High court , Abuja with all parties present in court except the Delta State Government, the Attorney General as well as the Accountant General.
Human Rights Activist and Lawyer, Chief (Barr) Malcom Omirhobo had dragged the Federal Government to Federal High Court, Abuja, where he prayed the court to declare that by provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the people and government of Delta State were entitled to the £4.2m (about N2.2b) recovered by United Kingdom government from the former Delta Governor, Chief James Ibori and his associates.
Respondents in Omirhobo’s suit are the Federal Executive Council (FEC); the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF); the Accountant General of the Federation; the Minister of Finance; the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Delta State government, the Attorney General of Delta State, and the Accountant General of the state.
The legal luminary also prayed the court to declare that the confiscated money belong to the people of Delta State, and constitute revenue that can be received by the Nigerian Federation and paid into her Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The applicant therefore prayed the court to declare that it is improper, illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th respondents to expend the recovered loot for projects other than those that are beneficial for the economic development and well being of the people of Delta State.
According to Urhobotoday, an indigene of Delta State who did not want his name on print, said the implication of the absence of Delta State representatives in court is that the state government seems not to have interest in the case – signalling forfeiture of the £4.2m to the federal government.
“Why is Delta State Government representatives not in court? Why is the Delta State Government not enthusiastic about return of the looted fund to its coffer?
“Is it that government of Delta State is so rich that it do not have need for the money?”, he queried.
Chief Malcom Omirhobo who was amazed that the representatives of Delta State government were not in court said;
“As the Plaintiff, I was in court but was disappointed that the Delta State Government representatives were absent. I expected my state government to support me in this case, but its action seems as if it is not interested.”
The case has been adjourned to 16 February, 2022.