Court to hear suit to stop Obi rally in Lagos Sept 28

The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing of a motion for an injunction seeking to stop the Labour Party, its candidates, and supporters from conducting the #Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally on 1st October or any other date in Lagos.

Justice Daniel Osiagor fixed September 28 after taking arguments from the parties on the mode of service of court processes, among others.

In the suit, 10 plaintiffs, including nine lawyers, are asking the court to, among others, restrain the LP; its presidential candidate, Peter Obi; his running mate, 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.

Among the plaintiffs are Adedotun Ajulo, Salamatu Lewi, Hakeem Ijaduola, Ogunbona Akinpelu, Owolabi Oluwasegun and Mogbojuri Kayode.

The first to 10th defendants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1729/2022 are Obi, LP, Baba-Ahmed, Abure, the Inspector-General of Police, Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director-General (Department of State Services), Lekki Concession Company Limited, Attorney-General of Lagos State and Lagos State Governor.

When the matter first came up on 15 September, Justice Osiagor directed the plaintiffs to put all the defendants on notice and adjourned the hearing of the substantive motion till 23rd September.

At the resumed hearing of proceedings on Friday, Romeo Ese-Michael and Kayode Mogbojuri announced appearance for the Plaintiffs. The first to fourth respondents were represented by a team led by Daniel Ibeagu while the eighth, ninth and 10th defendants were represented by Jonathan Ogunsanya.

Counsel for the first and third defendants objected to the mode of service but Justice Osiagor ordered that they should be served in court.

The judge urged parties to abridge time as the matter was of importance, noting that the motion on notice must be heard and determined before October 1.

The plaintiffs, in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1729/2022, had filed an ex parte motion through their counsel, Dada Awosika.

They argued 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.

Among four reliefs, they asked court for;

“An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants; their associates and loyalists from conducting the scheduled END SARS Rally tagged as the “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally on the 1st of October, 2020 or any other subsequent date, at the Lekki Toll Gate until the hearing and determination of the Motion-On-Notice dated September 12, 2022.

“An order of interim injunction restraining the 5th 6th, 7th Defendants from allowing or granting permissions to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants, their agents and the organisers of “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” at the behest of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants from carrying out the said anniversary on the 1st of October, 2022 and any other subsequent date.”