Again, judge shifts judgment on suit seeking Ibinabo's sack

Again, judge shifts judgment on suit seeking Ibinabo's sack

For the second time running, a Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday failed to deliver the much-awaited judgment in a suit seeking the sack of Ibinabo Fiberisima-led executive of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).

The suit, filed by an actor, St. Maradona Mikevine, was earlier scheduled for judgment last Wednesday by the trial judge, Justice James Tsoho.

But on Wednesday, the judge announced that the judgment was not ready, and then fixed Friday for same.

On Friday again, it further occurred that the judgment was still not ready, while a new date of March 16, 2015 was fixed.

Mikevine, who was the National Treasurer in the election that produced another popular actor, Emeka Ike as AGN President, had filed the suit to contest Ibinabo's election as AGN President.

Mikevine, in his suit, is contending that the election that brought Ibinabo into office was conducted in the face of a subsisting court order restraining the conduct of AGN election.

He had urged the court to determine whether it was proper for an election to be conducted in the face of an order to the contrary, and whether anyone could parade himself or herself as AGN executive based on an election conducted against a court order.

The suit that brough about the initial order was filed by Emeka Ike.

But Ibinabo, in her response to the suit, is contending that the plaintiff (Mikevine) lacked the locus standi to file the suit, in that he did not conduct an election against her.

Ibinabo, who insisted that she was not the one that conducted the election that produced her as AGN President but the AGN board itself, had stressed that Mikevine ought to have channelled his grievance with the election to the Electoral Committee of AGN and not the court.

Emeka Ike had filed the suit on July 25, 2013 to contest the formation of an illegal government coined “National Unity”, to run the affairs of the AGN.

The actor had sought an order of court, reviewing the 2007 Constitution of the guild, as it relates to the tenure of members of board of trustees.

He averred that the board, comprising: Mr Segun Arinze, Prince Ifeanyi Dike, Mr Emmanuel Oguguah, Mr Murphy Stephen, Mr Sunny McDon and Mr Okey McAnthony, have remained in office since July 13, 1999 when the guild was incorporated.

He had therefore, sought for an order, setting aside the appointment of Arinze as President of the guild, as well as an order, reviewing the provisions of the guild’s constitution.

Arinze, who was appointed as President of the National Unity of AGN, handed over to Ibinabo after the said disputed election.

In another development, Emeka Ike, in a press statement on Friday, has insisted that the suit filed by Mikevine was all about getting justice for members of the AGN in all the states of the federation.

He added: "The beauty of democracy is the panacea it creates for the involvement of every citizen. Today, the Nigerian nation and it's judicial arm is faced with yet another litmus challenge for sustainability and reliability.

"The subject matter has been well defined; orders made by a court of competent jurisdiction yet same order has been violated. Justice is all the 36 states AGN chapters, national excos and their followers crave and that we must get," the actor stated.