The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday began hearing on a lawsuit seeking to halt the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.
The lawsuit, filed by Funso Doherty, the candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) in the last Lagos gubernatorial election, has the Attorney General of the Federation, the Bureau of Public Procurement, and HiTech as the first, second and third defendants respectively.
Doherty argued that the award of the project violated the Public Procurement Act and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act.
He also stated that the action of government ministries and agencies involved in the project pose a significant risk to the lives and properties in Lagos and beyond, urging the court to enforce adherence to the law.
“Today, the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project lawsuit will be heard at the Federal High Court. The case challenges the Federal Government’s alleged violations of the Public Procurement Act and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act in awarding this MULTI-TRILLION Naira contract to Hitech Construction.
“At its core, this suit is about ensuring public funds are spent transparently and lawfully, while safeguarding environmental standards. The outcome will set a precedent for how contracts are awarded and how leadership is held accountable. All eyes on the judiciary this Monday November 18 2024. A fight for fairness, transparency, and justice,” the opposition candidate said in a statement released on Monday.
Doherty made seven claims in the lawsuit, which include:
“A Declaration that the award of the first two sections of the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway Project by the Federal Ministry of Works to the 3rd Defendant without subjecting same to open competitive bidding is unlawful and void, being in breach of the Public Procurement Act 2007.
“A Declaration that the commencement of construction of the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway Project without first undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment is unlawful and a breach of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, 1992.
“A Declaration that the Federal Ministry of Environment and the 2nd Defendant failed in their statutory duties of ensuring compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Act and the Public Procurement Act respectively.
“AN ORDER of court setting aside the award of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to the 3rd Defendant.
“AN ORDER of Court restraining the Federal Ministry of works and the 3rd Defendant, by themselves or through their agents, from further construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway until compliance with the Public Procurement Act and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act.
“AN ORDER of Court directing the Federal Ministry of works to subject all other Sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project yet to be awarded to open competitive bidding as contemplated under the Public Procurement Act.
“AND for such further order or orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
He also asked the court to determine the following questions
“Whether the procurement of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project by the Federal Ministry of Works to the 3rd Defendant without open competitive bidding and the commencement of construction of the project without any Environmental Impact Assessment are unlawful, being in breach of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, 1992.
“Whether the 2nd Defendant and the Federal Ministry of Environment failed in their statutory duties to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, 1992 respectively.
“Whether this Honourable Court ought to grant the reliefs as prayed in this suit.”
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