Just In: Alpha Beta Ex-MD Drags Tinubu To Court Over Control Of Company

A former Managing Director of Alpha Beta LLP, Dapo Apara, has dragged a former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, before a court over the control of the finances of the company.

CityNews Nigeria learnt that Apara has filed a suit before a Lagos State High Court asking it to Tinubu from controlling the finances of the tax consulting firm.

In the suit filed by his counsel Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) on Wednesday, Apara alleged that Tinubu controls the firm that monitors and generates revenue on behalf of the Lagos State Government.

The claimant is seeking eight reliefs including “A declaration that the 2nd defendant (Tinubu), not being a named partner of the 1st defendant (Alpha Beta), is not entitled to direct or influence the affairs of the 1st defendant in such a way that will deprive the claimant (Apara) of his profits and entitlements from the 1st defendant.

“An order directing the defendants herein, to render an account of all sums due to the claimant from the defendants, from 2010 to date (and) an order tracing all funds and assets due to the claimant from the defendants herein from the inception of the 1st defendant till date.

“An order of specific performance of Clause 8 and 11.0 of the partnership agreement that created the 1st defendant by extant partners; an order for payment to the claimant by the 1st and 3rd defendants, of all sums adjudged to be due to the claimant from the said 1st and 3rd defendants on the submission of the accounts.

A perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd defendant (Tinubu), from directing, influencing or in any other manner running the affairs of the 1st defendant (Alpha Beta) in such a way that will deprive the claimant of his profit and entitlements from the 1st defendant (Alpha Beta), the 2nd defendant not being a partner of the 1st defendant.

“Ten percent interest in ruling (5) above; and cost of this suit of N10m.”

As of the time of filing this report, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Recall that Apara had in 2020 filed a suit before the court but withdrew it before filing it a second time after making amendments.

Apara, who had in 2018, petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accusing Alpha Beta of tax fraud, asked the court to compel the firm to pay him his entitlements even as he alleged that Tinubu was the one that got him removed from his position as MD for investigating the firm’s finances.

Apart from Tinubu, others named as defendants in the suit included Alpha Beta and the current Managing Director, Akin Doherty, who is also a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State.