The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss the suit filed by former minister of aviation, Stella Oduah, to prevent the anti-graft agency from investigating her over the controversial purchase of two armoured BMW cars during her tenure at the ministry.
The EFCC, in a preliminary objection is also challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit on the ground that it was wrongly commenced in Lagos since the subject matter took place in Abuja.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa, had on August 26, 2015, granted an ex-parte injunction restraining the EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), and the inspector-general of police from inviting Oduah for questioning on the purchase of the two armoured cars at a cost of N160million in 2013.
The judge also restrained the respondents and their agents from inviting or arresting Oduah for questioning pending the determination of her main suit.
But the EFCC in its preliminary objection, is urging the court to dismiss the suit for lack of merit.
The commission while describing Oduah’s claims as baseless and speculative, argued that the ex-minister failed to place enough material fact before the court to justify her claim that she was about to be invited or arrested.
Oduah, who is currently the senator representing Anambra north-senatorial district, had approached the court claiming that the current government, under the guise of anti-graft war, was making moves to persecute and humiliate her.
She had claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led-federal government had perfected plans to try prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including herself, on trumped up charges in a Lagos State government-controlled court.
According to her, this ploy was to depopulate the PDP so that Nigeria could become a one-party country.
She said her persecution, which began in the build-up to the 2015 general elections, and was spearheaded by the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who was then speaker of the House of Representatives and the chairman of the House’s aviation committee.
