Njikonye argued that Emefiele was in contempt of court and must be made to purge himself before the court could give him audience.
By Jeffrey Agbo
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to appear before it on January 18, 2023, to explain his refusal to obey a valid court order.
Emefiele is yet to obey the order of the court to pay the judgment debt of $70 million to Joe Agi (SAN).
The money is payment for legal fees for services rendered to some states and the 774 Local government areas in the country.
Agi had obtained the judgment against Emefiele following his refusal to carry out the order of court on the judgment debt.
The CBN governor, however, through his counsel, Damian Dodo, (SAN) applied that the judgment summon be set aside on the grounds that an appeal had been instituted against the judgment.
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Joseph Njikonye (SAN), counsel to Agi, objected to Emefiele’s motion on the grounds that the order for the payment had not been effected.
Njikonye argued that Emefiele was in contempt of court and must be made to purge himself before the court could give him audience.
In a brief ruling, Justice Ekwo agreed that the CBN governor must come to equity with clean hands.
The judge said this was by obeying the subsisting order of court on the judgment debt payment or honour judgment summon issued against him to offer reasons for disobeying a court order.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed January 18, 2023 for the CBN governor to appear in court as required by law.
