Court Stops Lagos Country Club from Holding AGM

•Orders parties to maintain status quo

Wale Igbintade

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has ordered all warring factions in the Lagos Country Club, to maintain status quo, pending the hearing of the suit filed by the club’s Registered Trustees.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa made the order yesterday, following an application of the counsel to the plaintiff, Dr. Kemi Pinheiro SAN.

Pinheiro, had urged the court to compel parties not to take a step that would temper with the subject matter of the suit.

A senior Advocate of Nigeria Mr. Babs Fashanu, who appeared for himself equally urged the court to make an express order to restrain anybody from taking any further steps pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

The suit filed by the Club’s Registered Trustees against 19 members of the clubs over the Club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled May 30 and 31, 2024.

The defendants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/321/2024 are: Seyi Adewunmi; Engr. Tunji Amosu; Dr. Tunde Bajela; Otunba Bimbola Olaniyi; Asiwaju Olasunkade Azeez; Mr. Ose Lato; Mr. Babajide Egbele; Arc. Adetokunbo Ashiru; Barr. Bunmi Sosanya; Mr. Adetayo Adegboye and Prince Owolabl Mumuni.

Others are: Mr. Olufemi Azeez; Princess ‘Tola Oladoyin; Mr. Tom Olurinola; Barr, Babs Fashanu (SAN); High Chief Ayoko Olusoji H.; Mr. Semoore Badejo; Mr. Tunji Lawal and Mr. Tunde Thani.

The defendant’s counsel A. B. Ogunsusi said the plaintiff cannot be talking about interim order because it’s the prayer on the substantive matter before the court.

But Pinheiro said the adjournment “of today is orchestrated by the defendants so that they carry out their planning of conducting elections which is the subject matter of this suit.”

Justice Lewis-Allagoa his short ruling held: “Pending the hearing and determination of this application, I ordered that the status quo be maintained. Meaning that no step should be taken by any party.

“In the interim none of the party should take any step and whatsoever act pending the hearing and determination of this application. No letter or correspondences about elections which form the subject of this suit

I have said what I said. He who have hear, let him hear.”

Justice Allagoa thereafter adjourned the hearing of the substantive suit to 6th of June, 2024

The Registered Trustees of the Club had  through their lawyer, Dr. Kemi Pinheiro, prayed for, “an order of Mandatory Injunction pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit directing the defendants to immediately reverse, suspend and/or dissolve the Electoral Panel inaugurated by the Defendants acting as the Management Council of the Lagos Country Club in total disregard of the pending process of the Honourable Court in this suit and in defiance of the clear and specific Directive/order of the Honourable Court made in this suit on the 27th of February 2024, that parties maintain status quo.”

The trustees are also seeking for ,”an Interlocutory Injunction pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit, restraining the defendants, particularly the first, second, third, fourth, sixth, and oeth Defendants against whom petitions are pending, whether by themselves or through their agents, privies or otherwise howsoever described from taking any further steps towards the conduct of an election into the offices of the Management Council of the Lagos Country Club including but not limited to presenting themselves up for re-election (either opposed or unopposed) into any of the offices of the Management Council of the Lagos Country Club, and/or from participating in any activity related to any election in respect of the offices of the Management Council of the Lagos Country Club allegedly scheduled to hold on the 31″ of May 2024 or on any other date prior to the determination of this suit.”