Lagos butchers adhere to court judgement, elects new officers

The Lagos State Butchers Association of Nigeria has complied with the judgement of Justice Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh of the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos which gave them the powers to elect new officers for the Association.

Consequently, new officers to run the affairs of the Association for another three years have been elected. The new officers elected at a conference of the association held on June 11, 2014 at Matori Slaughter Slab are the Chairman, Alhaji Sulaimon Afuwape; first deputy chairman, Alhaji B. K. Alabi; second deputy chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Asiwaju; Secretary, Alhaji Ganiyu Omotosho; Treasurer Mr. Toyin Ayoka; Assistant Treasurer Alhaji Fatai Babatunde; Financial Secretary, Mr. Rabiu Akintola; Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olawunmi Adeyinka and Assistant Publicity Secretaty, Alhaji Bala Katako.

Others are the Organising Secretary, Mr. Adeniyi Olasupo; Welfare Officer, Alhaji M. Akande; Assistant Welfare officer, Alhaji Musibau Adigun; Social Secretary, Alhaji M. BaakiYusuf; Assistant Social Secretary, Mr. Idowu Arilesola; Auditor, Alhaji Babatunde Mogaji; Woman Leader, Alhaja Risikat Alao while the Ex-Officos included Mr. Olabamiji, Alhaji Muritala Kareem, Alhaji Muraino Alao, Mr. Momodu Adetayo and Mr. Buliaminu Popoola.

It would be recalled that a Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Olatoregun Ishola while adjudicating in a suit involving members of the association ruled in support of the election.

A group within the Association made up of Mr. Mukaila Akanbi, Mr. Moruu Shotayo and Mr. Babatunde Alabi had approached the Federal High Court last year to question what they termed the continued stay in office of the former officers of the  association.

Defendants in the action includes: Alhaja Adijatu Ojikutu, Alhaji Raimi Balogun, Alhaji Sulaimon and Alhaji Taiye Osunosho, being trustees of the Association in Lagos State.

According to the plaintiffs, the former officers had over stayed  in office contrary to the provisions of Article 13(1) and (5) of the Lagos State Butchers Association Constitution.
They had through an Originating Summons prayed the court to determine whether the continued tenure of the officers as the state executive council/trustees violated the Constitution of the Association.

The plaintiffs also wants the court to issue an order for the dissolution of the executive and to order fresh elections into the association in accordance with its Constitution.

Justice Ishola consequently granted their prayers in terms of the relief sought and ordered the dissolution of the executive and ordered fresh elections to be conducted within 14days of the judgement.

However dissatisfied with the decision of the Federal High Court, the defendant/appellants, Alhaja Adijatu Ojikutu, Alhaji Raimi Balogun, Alhaji Sulaimon and Alhaji Taiye Osunosho, appealed to the Court of Appeal for an extension of time to three months to conduct the elections in line with the Constitution.

The plaintiff/respondents in the suit before the Court of Appeal are, Mr. Mukaila Akanbi, Mr. Moruu Shotayo and Mr. Babatunde Alabi. The Notice of Appeal which was further amended on December 4, 2013 based on four grounds of appeal and a brief of argument deemed properly filed November 19, 2013 conveyed the appellants’ arguments in the appeal.

But the respondents moved a preliminary objection that the appellants filed the their brief out of time without order of the court and that the brief was signed by an unidentifiable person. However, the Appellate Court in its judgment of May 30, 2014 struck out the appeal on technical grounds and upheld the preliminary objection of the respondents.

The Appeal Court held that, "The document labeled the brief of the appellant could have been properly struck out in the lower court by reason of the fact that it was not a brief within the contemplation of the relevant rules of the court.

"The preliminary objection, therefore succeeds and it is upheld. The appellant’s brief is hereby struck out for being incompetent. The appeal is also hereby struck out by not being supported by a brief of argument."