Prohibits conversion at Lekki toll gate
Admin l Wednesday, September 28, 2022
IKOYI, Lagos, Nigeria – A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos has ordered the Labour Party and its supporters, collectively known as ObIdient who are planning #Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally in Lagos not to converge at the Lekki toll gate.
The Lekki toll gate was the venue where scores of Nigerians were massacred by the Nigerian military on October20, 2020 during #EndSARS protest in Lagos.
Supporters of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party said they will hold a 4 million man march for Lagos on Saturday, 1st of October, 2022, when the plaintiffs approached the court for an order to stop the rally, which they attempted to link with #endSARS.
The court also directed the Inspector General of Police and the Lagos State Police Commissioner to ensure compliance with the order.
Justice Daniel Osiagor made these orders today while ruling on a motion for injunction brought by 10 plaintiffs, who are asking the court to, among others, restrain the LP, its presidential candidate Peter Obi, his vice Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, one Julius Abure and their loyalists from holding the rally.
The court also held that the while the rally cannot stop at the Lekki toll gate, it can pass through the venue to access Falomo Bridge and other venues at which the rally plans to meet.
A preliminary objection filed by the defendants seeking to stop the court from hearing the motion on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction could however not been entertained as all parties to the suit had not been served.
The court adjourned hearing of the substantive suit to Nov 4th
In the suit, 10 plaintiffs through their Romeo Ese Michael, Esq. are asking the court to, among others, restrain the LP, its presidential candidate Peter Obi, his vice Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, one Julius Abure and their loyalists from holding the rally, until the hearing and determination of their Motion-On-Notice of September 12, 2022.
The plaintiffs are Adedotun Ajulo Esq., Salamatu Suleiman Lewi Esq., Hakeem Ijaduola, Esq., Ogunbona Akinpelu Esq., Owolabi K. Oluwasegun, Esq., Mogbojuri Kayode Esq., Wuyep Mantim Nadom Esq., Dimimu Mabel, Esq., Kolawole Salami, Esq. and Mr. Wale Abe Lawrence.
The 1st to 10th defendants are Obi, LP, Baba-Ahmed, Abure, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director-General (Department of State Services), Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, Attorney-General of Lagos State and The Governor of Lagos State.
In the substantive suit, the plaintiffs are arguing among other things that a repeat or celebration of the “infamous” EndSARS protest of 2020 under the political guise of “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” will cause a breakdown of peace and will result in post-traumatic stress disorder for them and the public.
