Sanwo-Olu never sued, EFCC, says Lagos

The Lagos State Government has refuted media claims suggesting that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has filed a lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged intentions to arrest and prosecute him after his term ends.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, addressed these reports, which indicated that Sanwo-Olu had initiated legal action against the EFCC, citing threats of arrest and prosecution upon leaving office.

The supposed lawsuit, described as a fundamental rights enforcement action, was allegedly submitted to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja by an attorney named Darlington Ozurumba, who is claimed to represent Sanwo-Olu.

During a court session on Tuesday, Ozurumba informed the judge that he had withdrawn an initial originating summons and replaced it with an updated filing. He stated that the EFCC had been served with the revised court documents.

However, EFCC counsel Hadiza Afegbua noted that she had not yet received these documents, and there was no proof of service in the court records.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the case until November 11 for further proceedings.

Pedro clarified that Sanwo-Olu has neither filed a lawsuit nor authorized any lawyer to act on his behalf in this matter. He confirmed that the state government is looking into the case, which emerged without their prior knowledge.

The commissioner emphasized that the governor is committed to enhancing the living standards of all Lagos residents and has no reason to be concerned about his departure from office.

“To clarify, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has consistently shown exemplary service and responsible management of public resources. Thus, as he continues to strive for the betterment of Lagosians, he has no cause for alarm regarding his tenure ending in May 2027.

“We urge media outlets to exercise caution in their reporting to prevent misleading the public,” the statement concluded.