By Emma Nnadozie

The lingering crisis at the Balogun Business association, BBA, International market, Lagos took a new dimension, yesterday, after His Lordship, Honorable Justice (Professor) Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, after several hours of heated arguments from lawyers made an interim order of injunction restraining an alleged unlawful Electoral Panel  set up by the market in contravention of the Constitution of the Association from conducting any election in the Association pending further order by the court.

Mr.Osita Mbamalu who appeared as lawyer for the Chairman of the alleged illegal Electoral Panel, Mr. Ifeanyi Okwuma, had vehemently opposed the granting of the order in a suit brought by Chief Nicholas Okeke, a life trustee of the Association.

However, Mr.Martin Okpaleke, lawyer for the Association as well as for the President of the Association, Chief Tony Obih,and Secretary of the alleged illegal Electoral Panel, Mr.Charles Jideofor, aligned with Mr.Edwin Anikwem, lawyer for the Plaintiff, Chief Nicholas, and urged the court to make the restraining order to avert imminent breakdown of law and order in the Association’s premises.

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The court in making the restraining order, admonished the parties to explore amicable settlement before the next adjourned date which the court fixed for the 18th of January, 2021.  The court also ordered that everything done or to be done by the Association and its incumbent management led by the President of the Association, Chief Tony Orbih, who is also the incumbent Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association must follow strictly the provisions of the Constitution of the Association.

Recall that the tenure of the incumbent management of the Association would be expiring by the 12th or 15th of December, 2020.  In an attempt to seize control of the Association, a former President of the Association precipitated a crisis in the Association over the Chairmanship of the Board of Trustees claiming to be the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association notwithstanding that by the Constitution of the Association, only an incumbent President of the Association can be Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association.

Vanguard News Nigeria