Ex-campaign coordinator sues Jimoh Ibrahim, demands N520m
CHIGOZIE AMADI
A former commissioner in Ondo State, Julius Ijabiyi, has dragged the senator representing Ondo South, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged intimidation and threat to life.
Ijabiyi, who said he acted as the campaign coordinator for Ibrahim who was a governorship aspirant in Ondo State, is urging the court to slam N520m damages on the senator.
Ibrahim, through his legal team, has, however, opposed the suit, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear it.
According to court documents sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, the matter came up on Monday before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who adjourned hearing till October 28 for report of service.
Ijabiyi, in the suit, markedFHC/ABJ/CS/857/2024, alleged that Ibrahim had been threatening him with security operatives over what he termed “a mere civil issue bothering on religious and political relationship”.
The ex-commissioner said sometime early this year, Ibrahim appointed him to coordinate his political activities for the Ondo State governorship election where he was an aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress before losing out to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ijabiyi said he was appointed to coordinate Ibrahim’s campaign machinery known as ‘Jimoh Ibrahim Aseyori Campaign Group’.
He, however, claimed that Ibrahim had lately resorted to threatening him with “arrest, detention over issues bothering on political party activities/party politics resulting into an infringement of my fundamental human rights.”
Apart from demanding N500m damages and N20m as the cost of filing the suit, Ijabiyi wants the court to restrain Ibrahim and his agents “from threatening the applicant with arrest, detention, harassment, intimidation or invitation over a mere civil transaction cum political relationship”.
