17th June, 2015
Cyriacus Izuekwe
A Federal Hight Court sitting in Lagos has nullified the election and sacked the executive of the Ladipo Main Market traders in Mushin, Lagos State, western Nigeria.
An election was conducted by the traders under their registered union where Comrade Kingsley Ogunor emerged as the chairman and the president of the central body called Ladipo Auto Central Executive Committee, LACEC.
However, Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, nullified the election and ordered Ogunor and his executive not to parade themselves as leaders of the market union.
The judgment followed the suit filed by aggrieved members of the union over the outcome of the election.
In the suit with number FHC/L/ CS/ 868/ 2014 filed by Leonard Onwughalu and others against Kinsley Ogunor and his executives, the plaintiffs asked the court to declare as follows:
That the activities carried out by the defendants outside the union’s constitution as registered with the Coperate Affairs Commission were unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
That the election and assumption of office by the defendants as executives of the union was unconstitutional, null and void.
That the demand by the electoral committee appointed by the defendants to demand money as condition to stand for election contrary to the union’s constitution was null and void.
An order to dissolve the executives and appoint board of trustees of the union to operate and direct the affairs of the union and to conduct a new election.
All the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs were granted by Justice Yunusa.
Following the judgment, defeated contestant on LACEC presidential election, Felix Okoro has given notice to LACEC BOT his intention to take over as the president of LACEC within seven days.
In a letter to BOT, Okoro alleged that Ogunor was not eligible to contest the position of the president as enshrined in LACEC constitution.
He quoted LACEC constitution section 13 which states: “the post of president shall be contested by unit chairman or directors of warehouses.”
The sack of the market leaders is causing tension in the market as traders are divided over the matter. The traders expressed their fear and said that might cause break down of law and order in the market thereby giving room for the government to close the market.
When our reporter contacted Ogunor, he confirmed the judgment and said he had already filed an appeal against the judgment.
He said he would ensure that there was no security threat in the market while awaiting the outcome of the appeal.