10th May, 2012
In a bid to forestall a forceful takeover of the leadership of Lagos State Butcher Association, the Board of Trustee of the association has taken over the running of the affairs of the association pending when credible general election would be held.
In a press briefing in Lagos, a member of the Board of Trustee, Alhaji Sufiyanu Akinranola, stated that the legal and non- legal attacks on the association by Mr. Rafiu Adisa Elewide-led factional group is an attempted coup against the association aimed at causing disaffection and tear the association apart, as the action of the factional group is politically motivated.
Sufiyanu further stated that the Federal High Court judgment of 11 August, 2010, dissolved the then executive and ordered that members of the Board of Trustees registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission to constitute a 10-man caretaker committee to conduct election within 14 days.
However, the Adisa Elewide- led group in a manner reminiscence of a coup and plan to hijack power at all cost, allegedly hijacked the statutory responsibility of the Trustees, hurriedly listed names of some people tagged as their own caretaker committee members and used same illegal committee to conduct a kangaroo election into the executive of the association without recourse to the Board of Trustees and the association in general.
Ironically, those listed by this group as caretaker committee members were not nominated by members of the Board of Trustees, as approved by the Corporate Affairs Commission, an act that contravened section 25 of the association’s constitution.
Consequently, the said election conducted was not conducted in accordance with the order of the court, Sufiyanu contended.
It is members of this factional group who are the plaintiffs in the suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos which has culminated into an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Lagos, that have constituted themselves as caretaker committee members.
Finally, members were implored to go about their normal business as the association reposes confidence in the judiciary to resolve the current election crisis, as the association has filed appeal at the appellate court in Lagos.