Ondo LG Crisis: Balarabe Musa Appears in Court, Accuses Judge Over Imposition of Counsel

By Oluniyi Akintunde, Akure

A mild drama occurred at an Akure High Court on Wednesday as former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa appeared in court and openly accused Justice S.A Sidiq of imposing lawyer on his party, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

Musa who is the National Chairman of PRP came to observe the court proceeding on a suit filed by the PRP against its exclusion from the local government election conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) last year April.

However, when the case came up for hearing, Musa was stunned when he learnt that a lawyer, Mr Segun Ogodo who the party did not hire announced his appearance for the party.

The former governor who was in court with the State Chairman, Mr Tunde Ali raised their hands up in the court and said they did not brief Ogodo to represent them, and that the party had briefed  Mr Femi Aborisade as their lawyer.

Both the National and State chairmen said since Aborisade was not in court, they have briefed Mr Udofot Ekereke to hold his forth for him.

Musa expressed dismay that a lawyer who was not retained by the party could go to the court without the knowledge of the litigants, filed an application for change of counsel and had been representing the party without any authorization.

But Justice Sidiq said since there was change of counsel and has been representing the party; he should go ahead with his case.

This development led to shouting match in the court premises as the sacked local government chairmen and councilors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) publicly accused the judge of predetermined judgment.

It took the intervention of security agents led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police to calm the frayed nerves at the court premises.

Justice Sidiq, however, fixed the case to March 31 for further hearing.

Addressing journalists after the court proceeding, Musa said, “I was surprised how a lawyer can go to court to represent PRP without me knowing him, without being briefed. I was surprised how a lawyer for that matter can have the audacity to do that. To me, this is gross professional misconduct.

“I don’t know him, I have not briefed him and he pretended that he was representing PRP. The second surprise is that I wanted to tell the judge in the court that I did not know that lawyer who pretended to represent me.

“I wanted to tell him that Barrister Femi Borisade is the one I briefed as the National Chairman of PRP in this case, but I was surprised the judge did not allow me.

The PRP had filed a suit at the Akure High Court alleging that the logo of the party was missing in the ballot papers to be used for the April 16, 2016 Local Government election in the state.

The suit which was filed on behalf of PRP by its counsel, Mr Femi Borisade has ODIEC, PDP, and the state government as defendants.