Lagos court to rule on PDP legal fee debt

Henry Ojelu

A Lagos High Court today fixed May 7 for ruling in a suit filed by one Mr. Debo Adeleke against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over the parties failure to pay him an outstanding N10.55m professional fees for the handling of the party’s cases at the Lagos State Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal.

Adeleke had claimed in the suit that the party paid him only N1.45m out of the N12m he charged for the cases which he handled between November 2011 and August 2012.

The claimant, who is the Principal Partner at Maritime, Commercial and Immigration Law Chambers, stated that the fees were to cover the seven cases his law firm handled for the party at the election petitions tribunal.

The PDP lost all the cases, including the ones handled by Adeleke’s chambers.

The PDP instituted the petitions against the then ruling Action Congress of Nigeria and the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission as well as the ACN candidates, who were declared winner in the various local government elections held on October 20, 2011.

Arguing his application today in court, Adeleke’s counsel, Benson Tope Akeredolu insisted that the PDP is one indivisible party and that any contract entered with the party at the state level is binding on the party.

He further contended that the party is under obligation to honor any agreement entered by its officials at the state branch offices.

PDP counsel, Mr Chukwuma Nmesirionye however opposed Adeleke’s argument saying that there was never any agreement between the national secretariat and the complainant.

Nmesirionye contended that the local branches of the party have the power to instruct counsels to represent them in any matter.

He stated that the claimant only decided to approach the national headquarters of the party to pay his outstanding fee because the state.

After hearing arguments from both parties, presiding judge, Justice Ayotunde Ipaye adjourned the matter till May 7, 2014 for ruling.