Former Imo State Governor, Senator Anayo Rochas Okorocha has run to a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Governor Hope Uzodinma-led government from confiscating his properties.
In an application he filed before the court on Wednesday, Okorocha asked for an order restraining the EFCC, and the Imo State government led by Uzodinma, from further interfering and confiscating his properties located in various parts of the country.
Okorocha, who was Imo State governor from 2011 to 2019, has been accused of stealing the state fund to acquire properties in different parts of the country.
But the current senator, representing Imo West in the Senate, wants the court to secure his properties pending the resolution of court cases ongoing in the matter.
He told the court that his properties in several parts of the country had been marked for confiscation saying that if no order to preserve them was issued against EFCC and Imo State, he would be prejudiced.
Okorocha’s motion on notice for the sought court order was filed by his counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Oba Maduabuchi.
But the EFCC and Imo State government objected to the motion, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction to hear the suit.
According to the EFCC and Imo government, the suit is not the type that can be heard during court vacation.
They also argued that Okorocha failed to meet the condition precedent for the matter to be heard during vacation.
According to them, the fiat of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court ought to be sought and obtained before such matter could be heard during vacation.
Both the EFCC and Imo government cited Order 46, Rule 5 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedures Rule 2019 allegedly breached by Okorocha while filing the fresh motion.
Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed is expected to make decisions on the matter after hearing from the parties.