The Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday ordered that the former governor of Edo state and current National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole be served with an application brought before the court by an anti-corruption crusader, Bishop Osadolor Ochei.

Bishop Ochei had approached the court seeking an order of mandamus compelling the nation’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and initiate criminal proceedings against Oshiomhole over allegations of financial fraud while he was governor.

In the motion, Ochei had prayed the court to declare that the anti-graft agency has the statutory duty to investigate and prosecute the former governor, upon his allegations against him in line with the act establishing the commission.

In the affidavit deposed to personally by the applicant, he averred that since corruption has become a societal ill which has eaten deep into the fabric of the society, there was the need for the EFCC to take complaints against corrupt practices seriously.

Giving the order, Justice Anwuli Chikere of the court also ordered that the anti-graft agency be served with the court process, stressing that the service be done within five days from October 9, 2018 when the order was made.

While arguing a motion ex-parte filed in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/628/ 2018, Bishop Ochei’s counsel, Dr. West-Idahosa urged the Court to allow Oshiomhole and the EFCC, who are the respondents in the suit to file a reply to the weighty allegations made against them by the applicant in support of the Federal Government’s anti-corruption fight.

The ex-parte motion followed Bishop Ochei’s petition to the EFCC on October 28, 2016, ‎against Oshiomhole, who was governor of Edo state from November 2008 to November 11, 2016.

In praying the court to grant the request of his client, Idahosa referred the court to 86 exhibits filed in support of the application and added that there were documents and electronic pictures of palatial houses of the former governor, whose earnings in all his life could not acquire, maintaining that they were evidences of how Oshiomhole allegedly diverted money meant for projects in the state to his personal use.

The counsel added that there are vouchers of exorbitant air fares that the former governor incurred, stressing that the amount of the air fares were enough to buy an air carrier for Edo State people.

Idahosa added that there were receipts of how the ex-governor used huge amounts of money meant for the state to repair his private vehicles and urged the court to grant the relief of his client, arguing that the EFCC has arrested and prosecuted lesser crimes and therefore, there was no reason why the anti-graft agency should ignore the petition.

He stressed that he had severally complained to the EFCC about allegations of corrupt practices against Oshiomhole without eliciting any response or interest by the commission.

He said: “On May 4, 2012, one Matthew Edaghese sent a petition to the EFCC, complaining that while serving as governor, Oshiomhole built mansions on a huge expanse of land worth more than ₦10 billion, in excess of the former governor’s legitimate means of income as governor.”

Justice Chikere thereafter adjourned the matter until 23rd October 2018 for arguments from all the parties in the matter.