Festus Keyamo, former minister of state for labor and employment, has declared that he will appeal the N10 million fine imposed against him in a lawsuit he brought with respect to the investigation into PDP presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s misconduct in the 2023 election.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission is also included in the lawsuit.
Keyamo received the penalty on Monday from Justice James Omotosho of an Abuja-based Federal High Court.
For Abubakar and the Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission, Omotosho directed that N5 million each be paid.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 was regarded as “frivolous, vexatious, and an abuse of court processes,” and should be paid at 10 per cent per annum until the cost is finally liquidated.”
A statement issued by John Ainetor (Esq), Assistant Head of Festus Keyamo Chambers, Abuja Office, read, “Earlier today, a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the case filed by Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, against the candidate of the PDP in the last Presidential Election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over the SPV saga principally because the court was of the opinion that the law-enforcement agencies were not given enough time to commence investigations before the suit was filed, amongst other sundry reasons.
“Our client respectfully disagrees with the reasons for the said decision because the law-enforcement agencies did not indicate their willingness to commence investigations, even if they were given more time. We want to establish a legal principle that the society cannot wait as infinitum for law-enforcement agencies to do their statutory duties.”
“The suit was designed to prompt the agencies to show their readiness to investigate. We are immediately filing an appeal against the said decision to the Court of Appeal as the struggle on this issue continues.”