A Nigerian law firm, Messrs Femi Okunnu & Co, has denied being paid N50million from the Lagos State Government to defend Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in election matters.
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This was stated in a press release signed by the Principal Partner of the firm, Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu SAN.
Recall how the Lagos State government received backlashes after it was found, according to procurement awards documents, to have paid a total sum of N200,000,000 to legal firms that represented and defended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the governorship election petition tribunal.
According to the documents published on the website of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency and one of them tagged, “Letter Of Award Registered For January 2023” the sum of N50million each was awarded to four law firms designated as contractors.
They are Ahmed Raji & Co, Akinboro & Co, Babatunde Ogala & Co, and Messrs Femi Okunnu & Co.
The award, under the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, was described as “Instruction to Represent and Defend Mr. Sanwo-Olu Babajide Olusola in Suit No: FHC/CS/1979/2022 – PDP vs INEC & 42 ors.”
However, according to Femi Okunnu’s statement, the legal firm was never briefed to handle any election petition in Lagos State.
The statement reads: “The attention of the law firm of Messrs Femi Okunnu & Co. has been drawn to a recent publication on social media with the above caption.
“In it, the publisher alleged that public funds were used by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. BabajideSanwo-Olu, to pay for legal services rendered by a number of law firms in defence of petitions filed against his election in 2023. Among the law firms against which such sinister and corrupt allegation was made is our law firm, Messrs Femi Okunnu & Co., to which it was alleged that the sum of N50,000,000.00 was paid.
“We consider it pertinent to notify the general public that this allegation is not only sinister but must have arisen from a lazy and corrupt mind that is incapable of scrutinising its nightmares critically before concluding that they derived from factual realities.
“It is incontrovertible that the law firm of Femi Okunnu & Co was never briefed to handle any election petition in Lagos State and neither did it handle any. We also assert that the law firm of Femi Okunnu & Co did not receive the sum of N50,000,000.00 or any sum whatsoever from the Lagos State Government or any other person or organization to defend any election petition filed against Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
“The firm is aware that the Lagos State Government has equally denounced same allegation but out of dignity, the firm still considers it fit to categorically state its position as above.
“It is, therefore, malicious for anyone in his right senses to wake up on any side of his delusional bed and make such a wild and unfounded allegation. We use this medium to inform the publisher of this infantile allegation to issue a public notice withdrawing the allegation and tendering apology via the same social media to our law firm otherwise we shall not hesitate to seek redress in the law court.”
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