Wahab Abdulahi

The Federal Government was on Monday restrained from going ahead with the renaming of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, to Moshood Abiola University, MAU, by a Federal High Court siting in Ikeja, Lagos.

The trial judge in the suit filed by the students and alumni of the university, Justice Steve Adah also restrained the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from deliberating on the proposed bill of renaming the institution and directed that parties should maintained status quo while the suits challenging the renaming of the school lasted.

Some students of the university and the alumni have filed separate suits challenging the propriety of renaming the university through a broadcast by President Goodluck Jonathan on May 29.

The student applicants are led by Ogunmola George Olajide and six others who sued for themselves and on behalf of the students of the institution.

Defendants in the suit are the University of Lagos, its Council, the Senate of the University, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Assembly of the Republic of Nigeria.

The two applicants were represented by Mr. Afolabi Fashanu(SAN).

Fashanu, had urged the court to give an “an interim order” to maintain the status quo, saying the application for the order was urgent because the Federal Government was “desperate” to give effect to the presidential pronouncement.

At the resumed hearing of the suit Monday, the two defense counsels, one of whom was representing the University of Lagos and the Council of the University of Lagos, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, and  the other representing the Senate of the University of Lagos, Mrs. Titi Akinlawon, SAN, did not oppose the request of the order.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, and the National Assembly (the fourth and fifth defendants) were not represented by any counsel despite confirmation by the plaintiffs’ counsel that all parties in the suits had been served with the court process.

Justice Adah however, asked the litigants to harmonize the suits and adjourned further hearing  in the case till July 4.