….Also prays Court over Ondo Commissioners’ Assets Declaration.
An Akure based Legal Practitioner, Femi Emmanuel Emodamori has dragged the Ondo State Commissioner for Finance and the State House of Assembly to Court over details of statutory allocations to local governments in the state and Asset Declaration by Commissioners appointed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and approved by the Assembly.
In two separate Suits marked HCAK/294/CIV/2025 and HCAK/299/CIV/2025 respectively, the legal practitioner, sued the Ondo State Commissioner for Finance (Mrs. Omowumi Isaac) and the State House of Assembly to the Ondo State High Court under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
Emodamori sued the Commissioner for her alleged failure to supply him the certified true copies of documents detailing the disbursement of statutory allocations to all the Eighteen (18) Local Government Areas in Ondo State from the Joint Local Government Account created by Section 162 (6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), from January 2025 till July, 2025.
The lawyer is praying the Court for an Order of Mandamus compelling the Commissioner to do so within 7 days from the date of the judgment in the Suit.
In Suit HCAK/299/CIV/2025 instituted against the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the House and the Clerk of the House, Emodamori is also praying for an Order of Mandamus compelling the Respondents to make available to him, not later than 7 days from the judgment of the Court, the certified true copies of evidence of Declaration of Assets and Liabilities by all the 18 Commissioner Nominees screened and approved for appointment by the House (sued as the 1st Respondent) between February, 2025 and July, 2025, as required by Section 192 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
He had previously demanded for the said documents from the Commissioner for Finance and the State House of Assembly pursuant to Section 1 of the FOI Act, as part of what he called his consistent fight for accountability and transparency in governance.
Confirming the development while speaking with newsmen in Akure, Emodamori said the Ondo State High Court Vacation Judge, Hon. Justice O.M Adejumo, had earlier granted him leave on 19th August, 2025 to commence the mandamus suits.
Emodamori also applauded the recent Supreme Court judgment delivered on 11th April, 2025 in Osakwe v. Edo State Agency for the Control of Aids (EDOSACA) which held that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act applies to both the Federal Government and all the States within the Federation.
He said the Judgment has further strengthened the fight against corruption and abuse of office which, according to him, is the collective responsibility of all patriotic Nigerians.
