Court of Appeal Orders Governor Makinde to Pay N50 Million Damages Over Unsettled Debt

In a significant legal development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has ruled against Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, along with six others, ordering them to pay N50 million in damages for their failure to settle an outstanding debt of N3.4 billion.

The debt stems from a Supreme Court judgment on May 7, 2021, where Makinde and other state officials were directed to pay N4.9 billion to chairmen and councillors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) but removed from office by Makinde in 2019.

A unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices condemned Makinde’s actions, describing them as disrespectful to the nation’s judicial system.

The Court of Appeal upheld the April 27 ruling by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, which had ordered Makinde to pay the remaining balance of the debt. The debt arose from the sacking of APC-affiliated chairmen and councillors by Makinde upon assuming office.

The Court awarded N50 million in damages against Makinde and his co-appellants, citing their conduct as disrespectful to the judiciary. The ruling reiterated that counter to the appellants’ claims, there was no dispute regarding the amount constituting the judgment debt.

The legal saga began with a Supreme Court judgment in May 2021, declaring the removal of the APC officials as unlawful and ordering the Oyo State Government to pay the outstanding salaries and allowances.

Instead of complying, the state government paid only N1.5 billion, leading the affected officials to initiate a garnishee proceeding.

The Court of Appeal’s decision affirmed the garnishee order absolute issued by the High Court of the FCT on April 27, which directed Makinde and others to pay the outstanding balance on an instalment basis.

The ruling highlights the judiciary’s commitment to upholding legal decisions and ensuring compliance with court orders.

Source: Daily Nigerian