Hearing stalled on Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge toll suit

March 22, 2013

A Federal High Court in Lagos will on April 29 continue hearing in a suit challenging the proposed collection of N500 toll on the newly constructed Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge in Lagos State.

The suit was filed by a human rights activist and lawyer, Mr Ebun-Òlu Adegboruwa, against the Lagos State Government, which proposed the toll.

Hearing in the case was stalled on Thursday because the judge, Justice Saliu Saidu, was not available.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, in suit No. FHC/L/CS/1405/2012, Adegboruwa is seeking an injunction to restrain the government from collecting any toll from motorists on the bridge.

The attorney-general of the federation and the National Inland Waterways Authority, are joined as co defendants in the suit.

At the last adjourned date, the Lagos State Government filed a motion, through its counsel, Mr Olarenwaju Akinsola, saying that the suit was premature.

The government said that it had yet to decide whether to collect toll on the bridge.

However, in an affidavit she filed, the plaintiff’s counsel, Mrs Oreka Adegboruwa, attached a photograph of a signpost erected at the entrance of the bridge.

In the affidavit he deposed to, the plaintiff said that the signpost erected by the state government indicated that five toll plazas had been erected on the bridge in preparation for the toll collection.

The plaintiff also said in the affidavit that he inspected the bridge and confirmed that the toll plazas were erected on the bridge.

He described as legislative rascality and democratic impunity, the alleged repeal of the NIWA Act by the Lagos State House of Assembly.

He said that no state House of Assembly in Nigeria had the power to repeal an Act of the National Assembly.

NAN reported that NIWA is represented by its counsel, Mrs Queen Mba.

[Punch]