Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti is set to hear a high-profile suit on April 22 against Senator Adeyemi Raphael Adaramodu and others.
The lawsuit, filed by Adekunle Esan—a former governorship aspirant and indigene of Ilawe Ekiti in Ekiti South West—seeks to compel the senator and other public officials to disclose details of constituency funds, projects, and budgetary allocations.
Other respondents in the case include Adeniyi Ojuawo, representing Ekiti South West/Ikere/Ise/Orun in the House of Representatives; Tony Adaramodu, representing Ekiti South West 1 in the House of Assembly; and Richard Apolola, Chair of Ekiti South West. A related matter will be heard on April 23 at the State High Court.
Esan claims he resorted to legal action after repeated Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the respondents went unanswered. In his originating summons, he asked the court to determine whether the refusal to release public records violated his constitutional right to access information under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Ekiti State Freedom of Information Law, 2011.
“Have the respondents violated my right to access public records by refusing or neglecting to provide comprehensive reports of budgetary allocations and constituency projects?” Esan queried.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, Esan described himself as a committed voter and former governorship aspirant, passionate about the growth of Ekiti State and Nigeria. He alleged that respondents have failed to deliver meaningful representation, pointing to poor infrastructure, inadequate security, and low living standards in the state.
He further claimed that billions of naira meant for constituency projects were either mismanaged or awarded to cronies of the respondents, leaving little impact on residents. Despite repeated FOI requests, including letters dated August 5, 2025, for scorecards, project details, budget allocations from 2019–2025, proposed 2026 allocations, and funds received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the respondents failed to respond.
Esan is asking the court to declare the refusal unlawful, compel the release of the requested documents within 14 days of judgment, and award N10 million in damages for violation of his right to information, plus N5 million for legal costs. The court has directed the respondents to enter their appearance within 30 days of being served with the summons.