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By Michael Ofulue Osogbo
The Osun State Attorney-General has filed a notice of discontinuance in the suit instituted before the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The decision follows the dismissal on Tuesday of the preliminary objection filed by the CBN and the Accountant-General, who had challenged the legal right of the Osun Attorney-General to approach the court on behalf of the state’s Local Government Councils.
According to the notice filed, the discontinuance became necessary due to the pendency of a similar case before the Supreme Court, the payment of allocations to the controversial UBA accounts despite a subsisting court order, and the expiration of the tenure of the purported APC “yes or no” local government chairmen who were sworn in on October 17, 2022.
The Attorney-General explained that continuing with the case at the Federal High Court would amount to an “academic exercise,” as the issues in contention have been overtaken by events.
“A similar matter is already before the Supreme Court, and whatever decision the apex court makes will override the Federal High Court’s ruling,” the statement noted.
The suit initially sought an order restraining the CBN and the Accountant-General from paying Osun local government allocations into accounts allegedly opened by the sacked APC chairmen in the name of the councils.
However, in what the state described as a “flagrant disobedience” of a subsisting injunction, the funds have already been paid into the UBA accounts.
The Osun State Government has indicated that it may initiate contempt proceedings against the Accountant-General of the Federation for disobeying the court order.
The Federal High Court has adjourned the matter to October 29, 2025, for a ruling on the notice of discontinuance.
“Osun people, your freedom nears by God’s grace,” the statement concluded.