Abia Wins as Court Rejects Fresh ₦1.8bn Fee Demand Over “Duplicate” Suit

A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory has dismissed a lawsuit seeking over ₦1.8 billion in professional fees from the Abia State Government, ruling that the case amounted to a misuse of judicial process.

The suit, instituted by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Olusola Oke, was challenged by the state’s legal team, led by Ken Ahia, SAN. The defence successfully argued that the matter had already been raised in a previous case involving the same parties and issues.

Counsel for the state maintained that more than ₦2 billion had already been paid to a consultant over the same subject. They also noted that Oke had represented Imo State in the underlying derivation dispute, while Abia had its own Attorney-General, casting doubt on the validity of the fee demand.

In its ruling, the court held that reintroducing nearly identical claims in a new suit amounted to forum shopping. It therefore dismissed the case outright, shielding the state from potential financial liability running into billions of naira.