Suit To Halt Obidatti23 Rally in Lagos Adjourned Till Sept 28 date
A Lagos Federal High Court, today, adjourned till September 28, hearing of a motion for an injunction to stop the Labour Party (LP), its candidates, and supporters from conducting the “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” in Lagos, on October 1, 2022, or any other date.
Justice Daniel Osiagor, who presided over the Court, fixed the date after taking arguments from the parties on the mode of service of court processes, among others.
10 plaintiffs, whom nine them are lawyers, are asking the court to, among others, restrain the LP, its presidential candidate Peter Obi, his vice Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, one Julius Abure and their loyalists from holding the rally, until the hearing and determination of their Motion-On-Notice of September 12, 2022.
The plaintiffs are Adedotun Ajulo Esq., Salamatu Suleiman Lewi Esq., Hakeem Ijaduola, Esq., Ogunbona Akinpelu Esq., Owolabi K. Oluwasegun, Esq., Mogbojuri Kayode Esq., Wuyep Mantim Nadom Esq., Dimimu Mabel, Esq., Kolawole Salami, Esq. and Mr. Wale Abe Lawrence.
Listed as first to 10th defendants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1729/2022, are Obi, LP, Baba-Ahmed, Abure, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director-General (Department of State Services), Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, Attorney-General of Lagos State and The Governor of Lagos State.
When the matter first came up on September 15, Justice Osiagor directed the plaintiffs to put all the defendants on notice and adjourned the hearing of the substantive motion till Friday, September 23, 2022.
At the resumed of proceedings today, Messrs. Romeo Ese-Michael with Kayode Mogbojuri appeared for the Plaintiffs. While the first to fourth respondents were represented by a team led by Daniel Ibeagu, and the eigth, ninth and 10 respondents were represented by Jonathan Ogunsanya.
Counsel to the first and third defendants objected to the mode of service but Justice Osiagor ordered they should be served in court.
The judge asked parties to abridge time as the matter is of importance, noting that the motion on notice must be heard and determined before October 1.
He further urged parties to avoid technicalities meant to frustrate such a sensitive matter and adjourned till September 28 for hearing of the motion for injunction.
The plaintiffs in the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/1729/2022, had filed an ex- parte motion through their counsel Mr. Dada Awosika (SAN) leading Temilolu Adamolekun and others.
They argued that a repeat or celebration of the “infamous” EndSARS protest of 2020 under the political guise of “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” will cause a breakdown of peace and will result in post-traumatic stress disorder for them and the public.
They consequently asked the court for “an order of interim injunction restraining the first, second, third and fourth defendants; their associates and loyalists from conducting the scheduled END SARS Rally tagged as the “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally on October 1, 2020 or any other subsequent date, at the Lekki Toll Gate, until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated September 12, 2022.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the first, second, third, fourth defendants and their loyalists from further planning and promoting the Scheduled END SARS Rally tagged as the “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally”….
“An order of interim injunction restraining the fifth, sixth and seventh defendants from allowing or granting permissions to the first, second, third and fourth defendants, their agents and the organizers of “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” at the behest of the first, second, third and fourth defendants from carrying out the said anniversary on the 1st of October, 2022 and any other subsequent date…
“An order of interim injunction restraining the eigth defendant (LCC) from granting permission to the first, second, third and fourth defendants; their agents, privies, allies and loyalists, to make use of the Lekki Toll Gate or any space under and within the control of the eighth defendant for carrying out the said anniversary on the 1st of October, 2022 and any other subsequent date.”
