By Francis IWUCHUKWU
As a result of the alleged consistent flagrant disobedience of court order by the Lagos State government, the Registered Members of Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association, ASPMDA, has raised concerns.
It would be recalled that Justice P.O. Lifu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos had on July 22, 2021, in the suit designated FHC/L/CS/566/2021, between Ikechukwu Ogbo & Ors vs ASPMDA, mandated all parties, members of the Association, all and sundry to maintain status quo on the removal of the current Chief Sunday Igbanuzue Interim Caretaker Committee and not to conduct the Association’s election pending when the matters before the court will be fully determined.
But the allegation was raised that seven members of the Association with the support of a Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor, Joe Igbokwe, instigated and coopted the Lagos State Attorney-General to issue a letter dated October 18, 2021, indicating that a 3-man caretaker committee has been appointed to take over the leadership of an association duly registered in line with the relevant laws of Nigeria and not based on any Lagos State Laws and the Association is located within the space of land owned and controlled by the Federal Government.
The Association also noted that they found it absurd that immediately after the letter of October 18, 2021, was written, the office of the counsel to the Plaintiffs caused a letter dated October 20, 2021, informing the Lagos State Attorney- General of the pendency of an Order of Court and the letter was duly acknowledged on the same day but the Attorney-General disregarded same and provided the Anthony Ohagwu led interim committee through Nigeria Police to forcefully take over the affairs of the Association and carry on with the conduct of the general election.
“We find it very laughable that the Chief Law Officer of the State and Senior Advocate of Nigeria who is expected to guide the Governor towards giving respect to judicial process is deeply involved in an act of disobedience of Court Order.
“Though, the Lagos State Attorney-General mischievously attributed his action as contained in the letter of 18th October 2021 to the enforcement of the judgment in the Suit LD/2588/2018 between; MR. OBINA OBOJIOFOR & ORS v. ASPMDA which was delivered on the 28th November 2018 in respect of the tenure of the then Chief Daniel Offorkansi led executive committee which does not apply to the Chief Sunday Igbanuzue lead committee.
“Aside from the fact that the duties of the Office of the Attorney General are not that of the Sherriff of the Court imbued with powers to enforce a judgment, the Anthony Ohagwu sought to be imposed now is not the Chief Security Officer that the said judgment in the Suit LD/2588/2018 directed to take over the interim leadership of the Association.
“Also on the 11th of November 2021, when the matter came up before the same presiding Judge, the office of the Attorney- General was duly represented, likewise other parties represented by their respective counsel too and the Judge reiterated the Order earlier granted on the 22nd July 2021 and directed that all parties must respect the Court Order.
“We believe that the Attorney-General needs not to be educated that no matter how frivolous an Order of Court is, same must be obeyed until set aside.
“We as businessmen are already going through a lot in the current economic realities. Thus, the over 50,000 registered members of the Association thereby use this medium to call on the Legal Practitioner Disciplinary Committee, being one of the respected regulatory body of Legal Practitioners to investigate this matter and call the Attorney of Lagos State to order to allow us to conduct our business peacefully as the intention of the Attorney General of Lagos State is to create an avenue for forceful takeover by the Lagos State Government, ostensibly for breach of peace.
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