Court Dismisses Keyamo’s Corruption Case Against Atiku, Slams N10m Fine on Keyamo
A Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday, awarded a N10 million fine against immediate-past Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, for filing a frivolous suit against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, awarded a N5 million fine each in favour of Abubakar and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), making a N10 million against Keyamo.
Justice Omotosho, who described the suit as “frivolous, vexatious and abuse of court processes,” directed that the fine should be paid “at 10 per cent per annum until the cost is finally liquidated.”
The order followed an oral application by counsel for Atiku, Benson Igbanoi, and that of the ICPC, Oluwakemi Odogun, asking for cost after the matter was dismissed.
Keyamo, who was also the spokesperson of the dissolved Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 on January 20.
Keyamo accused Atiku of using ‘Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)’ to corruptly enrich himself while he was vice president of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007.
The former Minister of State for Labour relied on an affidavit allegedly deposed to by Atiku’s former media aide, Michael Achimugu, against his former boss in filing his suit.
