A Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has fixed March 10 to rule on an application by an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and local government aspirant, Gbenga Akinwande, seeking a review of the N6m costs awarded against him in a pre-election suit linked to the 2024 council polls.
Akinwande, a UK-based engineer and chairmanship aspirant for Yewa North Local Government Area, on Tuesday dramatically announced his appearance without legal representation, having dropped his lawyers, and personally moved the motion before Justice Abiodun Adeyemi.
The suit, marked FHC/AB/CS/144/2024, was filed against the APC, the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) and Dr Olusola Samuel Akinbode.
Justice Adeyemi had on October 15, 2025, dismissed Akinwande’s application seeking the transfer of the case from the Federal High Court to the State High Court and awarded cumulative costs of N6m against him — N3m in favour of the APC and Akinbode, and another N3m in favour of OGSIEC.
The court also ordered that the costs must be paid before any further steps could be taken in the matter.
In the fresh motion filed on November 19, 2025, and supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit and written address, Akinwande urged the court to vary and review the order, describing the sum as “extremely heavy, punitive and far beyond my financial capability.”
He told the court that he had paid professional fees to his former lawyers and should not be punished for what he described as their lapses in handling the case.
He added that granting the application would not prejudice the respondents and appealed for a cost order he could reasonably bear.
However, counsel to the respondents opposed the application.
Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan, lead counsel to the APC and Akinbode, and G.O. Agboola, who held brief for Wale Abeeb Ajayi for OGSIEC, argued that costs follow events and that sympathy or claims of financial hardship are not recognised grounds for denying successful parties compensation for expenses legitimately incurred.
After listening to arguments and adopting the written addresses of both sides, Justice Adeyemi adjourned the matter till March 10, 2026, for ruling.
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