Here is an interesting scene for readers, the kind that the Nigerian judiciary is getting famous for: a lawyer, once an ally, now stands toe-to-toe in court with a lawmaker over a substantial N81 million legal bill. Mr. Salman Jawondo (SAN) and Hon Ahmed Saba’s partnership has devolved into an unexpected court battle, turning past goodwill into sharp legal contention.
Jawondo, a senior lawyer, asserts that Saba, the Honourable member representing the Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency of Kwara state, enlisted his help for a pre-election lawsuit, where Jawondo defended the lawmaker’s candidacy. Yet, according to Jawondo, once the case closed, so did Saba’s cheque book, leaving N81 million in unpaid fees hanging in the balance.
Saba’s camp, however, tells a different story. He admits there’s an outstanding debt but baulks at the hefty sum. He suggests Jawondo’s fee is “excessive,” calling it unwarranted. He even hints at political sabotage, claiming his detractors are using this lawsuit to tarnish his hard-earned public image.
Communication has evidently been a challenge, with Jawondo saying his demands have gone unanswered save for a few payments. Saba, though, insists he hasn’t received formal court summons, adding a layer of miscommunication—or perhaps strategic stalling—to their escalating feud.
The lawyer’s claims extend to detailed court documents, itemising his services from the Federal High Court up to the Supreme Court. It’s a menu of legal work that totals N81 million, with VAT and incidental expenses added like sides to an entrée nobody wants to pay for.
Saba’s defence, delivered through his Digital Media Assistant, paints him as a victim of political scheming. He reassures the public of his commitment to service, dismissing the lawsuit as a distraction from his duties to his constituents. Dialogue, he says, is his preferred route to resolving this.
Both lawyer and lawmaker now await their day in court this December, each convinced of their own story’s validity. The irony, of course, is that a man meant to uphold laws now finds himself at odds with one who knows those laws intimately—his own former defender.
By Salman Jawondo (SAN)
