CAN SOMEONE TELL THIS IS A LIE? NGF: Fashola dumps Amaechi There is strong indication that the governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, will soon dump the embattled governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Ameachi, following the legal suit the governor instituted against the factional Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF Jonah Jang. One of the counsels in the matter who pleaded anonymity told Sunday Pilot that the governor of Lagos is not willing to continue with the matter in court and that Ameachi should carry his cross. He further added that Fashola, through his counsel, will communicate to the court that he will not continue with the matter again. Sunday Pilot recalls that the legal tussle on the chairmanship up of the Nigerian Governors Forum took a dramatic turn within the week as Lagos State Governor applied for withdrawal of the suit he instituted against governor Jang of Plateau State. Fashola, through his lead Counsel, Professor Yemi Osibajo, SAN, sought leave of an Abuja High Court to allow him withdraw the legal action against governor Jang who is a factional Chairman of the NGF. In a motion on notice for withdrawal filed on Tuesday at an Abuja High Court registry, the Lagos state governor sought leave of the Court to withdraw the suit in order to enable him strategies and put his house in order. Though the motion had not been moved, it was however was vehemently opposed by governor Jang and two other defendants in the suit. Jang’s lawyer, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, told the court that it was too late in the day for the Lagos State Governor to bring such a motion on the ground that parties in the suit have already joined issues with each other by filing and exchanging necessary processes. Oyetibo SAN submitted that the plaintiff has not given any cogent and verifiable reasons with his dramatic u-turn to withdraw at a point the parties were fully ready to go ahead with hearing of the case. Chief Paul Erokoro, SAN, standing for the third defendant in the suit corroborated the position of Oyetibo insisting that governor Fashola cannot just apply to withdraw the case since both parties in the suit have formulated issues for determination by the court. Erokoro urged the trial Judge, Justice Peter Affen, to dismiss the entire suit in order not to waste the precious time of the court. He specifically argued that the case could not just be withdrawn because the defendants have filed their statements of defence counter affidavits and served them on the plaintiff following the issuance of originating summons on them. Erokoro insisted that the entire suit should be dismissed along with the motion for withdrawal. Justice Affen, however, asked the defendants to allow the plaintiff move his motion for withdrawal first before canvassing their opposition. The motion was then adjourned till September 9 for hearing. Governor Fashola had dragged his Plateau State counterpart before the FCT High Court challenging his claim to the chairmanship seat of the NGF. His grouse was that Jang stood for an election along with his counterpart from Rivers State, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and lost with 16 votes to 19. Fashola therefore asked the High Court to bar and prohibit Jang from parading or further parading himself as the NGF Chairman. But Jang in his defence claimed that his chairmanship of the forum was in compliance with his endorsement in writing by majority of the governors and asked Justice Affen to strike out the suit against him He said that Fashola was neither a contestant in the election nor a member of the NGF trustees and challenged his locus standi to institute the action without the consent of other governors. Jang also claimed in his defence that Fashola did not disclose what he stand to lose and that his case did not disclose any reasonable cause of action and should be dismissed. nigerianpilot/ngf-fashola-dumps-amaechi/
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 13:21:32 +0000
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