However, Justice Adeleye dismissed the preliminary objection challenging the competence of Suit No. HAD/9/2026.
The High Court of Justice, Ekiti State, has delivered a landmark judgment in Mr. Adekunle Esan v. Hon. Richard Apolola & Hon. Tony Kehinde Adaramodu, affirming citizens’ right to access public records under the Ekiti State Freedom of Information Law 2011.
Justice A.A. Adeleye struck out the respondents’ preliminary objection and ordered the Chairman of Ekiti South West Local Government, Hon. Richard Apolola, and the lawmaker representing Ekiti South West Constituency 1, Hon. Tony Kehinde Adaramodu, to provide detailed reports of budgetary allocations, constituency projects, and their official scorecards.
Mr. Esan had written to the officials on August 5, 2025, requesting information on constituency projects and budgetary allocations. When no response was received within the statutory 14 days, he approached the court in January 2026.
The applicant had sued under the Constitution and the Ekiti State Freedom of Information Law, seeking access to the scorecards of the Chairman of Ekiti South West Local Government Area and the lawmaker representing Ekiti South West Constituency I, as well as records of budgetary allocations, constituency project funds and other administrative information requested in letters dated August 5, 2025.
