Former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu and former managing director of Alpha Beta Consulting Dapo Apara have begun discussing settling their dispute out of court.
Apara had in 2018 written a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, accusing Alpha Beta of N100 billion tax fraud.
He told the High Court of Lagos State sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square that Tinubu controls Alpha Beta, a tax consulting firm that has exclusive rights to monitor and generate revenue on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
He also claimed Tinubu ordered the transfer of over N20 billion from Alpha Beta to some private business accounts.
Among the reliefs he sought, Apara asked the court to compel the firm to pay him his entitlements, alleging that Tinubu got him removed from his position for investigating the firm’s finances.
On Tuesday, Apara’s lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) told the court that the parties have begun processes to settle the matter out of court.
Mr Adegboruwa revealed the current managing director of the firm Akin Doherty was part of the negotiation.
The lawyer also informed the court that the order made on November 2, 2021, for substituted service of all court processes on Tinubu had been complied with by the court bailiff.
Adegboruwa stated that the bailiff served Tinubu on November 24, 2021, at his No. 26 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, address through the courier service of DHL, adding that an affidavit of service had been filed by the bailiff to confirm this position.
The court looked through its records and confirmed the position as stated by the lawyer.
Adegboruwa then urged the court to grant more time for the parties to consolidate on their settlement talks.
Justice Aishat Opesanwo subsequently adjourned the case till March 24, 2022.
