The legal dispute over the estate of the late former Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, has escalated, as his father and cousin have filed an appeal challenging a ruling by the Lagos State High Court.
According to The PUNCH, pastor Shyngle Wigwe, the late banker’s father, and Christian Wigwe, his cousin, are contesting the decision made on February 6, 2025, by Justice Olayinka Adeyemi.
The appellants argue that the trial judge erred by rejecting their request for interim relief pending the resolution of the substantive case.
In their notice of appeal dated February 13, 2025, they listed 10 grounds for challenging the ruling, asserting that the judge wrongly held that the interlocutory reliefs they sought were identical to those in the main suit.
According to them, the interim reliefs were solely aimed at preserving the estate and ensuring the welfare of the late Wigwe’s minor children, whereas the main suit concerns the distribution of assets.
“There is a fundamental difference between preserving an estate and distributing an inheritance,” the appellants stated.
They expressed concern that without preservative reliefs, the estate could be vulnerable to dissipation before a final decision is reached.
Additionally, they argued that the court failed to appoint interim administrators despite acknowledging the ongoing dispute over the validity of the late Wigwe’s will.
“The trial court’s refusal to appoint interim administrators violates Section 24(1) of the Administration of Estates Law of Lagos State, 1959, which allows for such appointments in cases of dispute,” they noted.
The appellants also contended that the failure to appoint interim guardians for the deceased’s minor children denied their grandparents an opportunity to contribute to their care.
They further challenged a magistrates’ court decision that granted full guardianship of the children to their eldest sibling, Otutochi Wigwe, 25, claiming that the ruling was made without notifying the grandparents.
“Our application is not to overturn the magistrates’ court ruling but to ensure the grandparents are included as co-guardians to support the children’s well-being,” the appellants clarified.
The appeal seeks to secure temporary measures to protect the estate and the late banker’s children until the legal dispute over his will is fully resolved.
