Lagos High Court Stops NSE’s 2023 Election

Bennett Oghifo

TThe 2023 election of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), slated for November 29 and 30, has been placed on hold by a High Court in Abuja. This followed a suit filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Gwagwalada Division, by a member of NSE, Joseph O. Akinteye, seeking an injunction to stop the swearing in of a new President of NSE in January 2024.

Akinteye, in suit No. CV/158/21, dated  24/11/2023,  sought an injunction restraining NSE and three other defendants,  Emeka Eze,  C. Mbanefo and  Mrs. Magaret A. Oguntala, from conducting the 2023 elections slated for  29th and 30th November, 2023 pending the determination of the suit.

Eze is Chairman, NSE Board of Trustees (BOT), Mbanefo is Chairman, 2021 Election Appeal Panel, and Mrs. Oguntala is Deputy President, NSE.
The claimant, Akinteye, also sought a court injunction restraining Oguntala from parading herself as Deputy President of NSE and her inauguration as the 34th President of NSE in January 2024.

The judge, Hon. Justice V.S. Gaba, upon listening to Motion on Notice of Salisu Umar Esq, with A.A. Liman Esq and Charles Ikechukwu Esq. of Reasoning Juris Partners, stated, “It is hereby ordered as follows:  an order of interlocutory Injunction restraining the Defendants, their representatives, agents, privies, the NSE Electoral Panel, conducting the 2013 election or further election of Nigerian Society of Engineers’ Election as slated for  the 29 and 30th November 2023 for all the positions as stated in their election time table-2023 pending the hearing and determination of the claimant’s substantive suit before this honourable court.”
Among several other injunctions granted, the court instructed thata a caretaker committee be formed to avoid a vacuum in the leadership of NSE, pending the determination of the substantive suit.