2023: Big Setback as Court Slams Ex-governor Who is Atiku's Trusted Ally Amid EFCC Probe

• Former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state has a case to answer at the Federal High Court, Abuja
• This is what the court told Lamido on Monday, September 19, when it struck his suit challenging EFCC's prosecution
• In its ruling on Monday, the court, through Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, insisted that Lamido must be tried over an alleged N712 million fraud

Abuja - A suit from Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa, challenging his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) over alleged N712 million fraud, has been voided.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, September 19, threw out Lamido's application on the grounds that it lacked merit, Daily Nigerian reports.

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In the ruling delivered by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on Monday, the court noted that the former governor has a case to answer.

Justice Ojukwu upheld the EFCC’s lawsuit, which claimed that Lamido and his alleged accomplices should be tried in court.

Having said this, the court also ordered him to open his defence on November 8 to 11, which are the dates to which the case has been adjourned.

Lamido is standing trial alongside two of his sons, Aminu Sule Lamido, Mustapha Sule Lamido, his business associate, Aminu Wada Abubakar, and four companies: Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminium Limited, Speeds International Limited, and Batholomew Darlignton Agoha in a 37-count charge related to money laundering to the tune of N712,008,035.

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Implication for Atiku Abubakar

Lamido happens to be one of the strongest allies of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This development might come across as a major setback for Atiku's presidential ambition as Lamido will now be more focused on his court case than on backing the former vice president.

2023: Why Wike rejected PDP vice presidential ticket

Meanwhile, Lamido had cleared the air regarding Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state and the vice presidential slot of the PDP.

He noted that Wike made it clear that he was not interested in becoming the vice-presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election.

Lamido explained that Wike, who contested the presidential primary of the PDP, said he was not using the primary to negotiate for a VP slot.

Source: Legit.ng