FOI: Court grants Emodamori’s Suits for details of statutory allocations to L.Gs in Ondo State and evidence of Asset Declaration by Commissioners approved by the State House Assembly.
In two separate landmark judgments delivered today (11th September, 2025) in Suits HCAK/294/CIV/2025 and HCAK/299/CIV/2025, respectively, Hon. Justice T.M Adedipe of the Ondo State High Court has granted the Orders of Mandamus sought by a Legal Practitioner in Akure, Femi Emmanuel Emodamori, against the Ondo State Commissioner for Finance (Mrs. Omowumi Isaac) and the State House of Assembly under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
In Suit HCAK/294/CIV/2025, the Court granted Emodamori’s prayer for an Order of Mandamus compelling the Commissioner for Finance to make available to him within within 7 days, 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 Court equally granted the Mandamus sought in Suit HCAK/299/CIV/2025, compelling the Ondo State House of Assembly to supply him 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 between February, 2025 and July, 2025, as required by Section 192 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Before considering the merit of the cases, the Court in its judgments dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the Commissioner for Finance and the House of Assembly through the Attorney-General of Ondo State challenging the competence of the suits on the ground that the information sought by Emodamori constitutes personal information which are exempted from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
The Judge also dismissed the argument by the Attorney-General that the Federal Government should have been made a party to the Suit seeking evidence of disbursement of allocations to the 18 Local Government Councils.
Justice Adedipe held that the information being sought by Emodamori was in respect of statutory disbursements from the State Joint Local Government Account created under S.162 (6) of the 1999 Constitution, which is the responsibility of the State Government and not the Federal Government, relying on relevant provisions of the Constitution which were quoted.
Speaking to reporters after the Judgments, Emodamori commended the Court for the timeous hearing and determination of the two public interest cases. He disclosed that the cases were filed on 22nd August, 2025 alongside affidavits of urgency and that the Judge heard the arguments of parties on 10th September, 2025 and delivered the two painstaking Judgments within 24 hours after the hearing.
The Lawyer equally expressed confidence that the two landmark Judgments have broadened our legal jurisprudence and the collective quest by Nigerians for accountability and transparency in governance.
