Igboho’s lawyer denies receipt of funding

08 Aug Igboho’s lawyer denies receipt of funding

The lead counsel for Chief Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho) Chief Yomi Aliu (SAN) has denied claims that some groups and individuals are sponsoring the suits filed by Igboho in Nigerian courts.

He said that he has been rejecting what he described as peanuts being offered by some groups and individuals based on Igboho’s instruction.

In a statement on Saturday, Aliu also faulted criticism of Justice Igweatu for the conditions he gave for the bail of Igboho’s aides at a Federal High Court, Abuja.

The statement read: “It has come to our notice that various groups and individuals that have nothing to do with the case filed by Chief Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Igboho Oosa have been laying claims to sponsoring the suits and/or criticising decisions of court thereon.

“We want to be quick to say that as at today no group and/or individual has contributed a kobo to the two cases going on in Nigeria to wit, his aides’ case in Abuja and the Ibadan matter. Various peanuts offered by some very loud groups have been turned down by me on my client’s instructions.

“He has been carrying his cross alone with no assistance from home or abroad! People should be brave to challenge any individual and/or group asking them for money on bail on his behalf or those of his aides!

“Bail is free in all Courts in Nigeria and as such neither Igboho nor his aides need assistance on bail. Our client is willing and able to prosecute his matters to logical conclusions without peanuts being offered by those claiming to be involved in his struggle.

“We also wish to educate those criticising the bail conditions ordered by the Federal High Court, Abuja. The criticisms are unfounded and only came out of ignorance of the law on bail. The judge has a discretion which had been exercised by him judicially and judiciously in our matter.

“Back to the issue of bail, it is for an individual and can never be granted jointly. If 2 people stand for 8 defendants what happens if one absconds? Will the judge now lift the bail hitherto granted to the rest 7? The group criticising the bail terms have very eminent lawyers in their midst and have direct access to the undersigned thereby putting serious doubt as to whether the criticism emanated from them or from the usual 5th Columnists in the security outfits bent on putting wedges on the joint efforts of the populace searching for justice.

“If we have problems in perfecting the terms of the bail we can always go back to court for variation or at worst appeal. Definitely we cannot do any of these on the pages of newspapers and neither shall we encourage anybody to do that for our clients.

“So far so good all the parties concerned have not shown any act inimical to the course of justice in the two matters before the Court.

We must put on record efforts by “Oodua Nation Group” to stand as sureties for their members and all others granted bail by the Federal High Court, Abuja.”