Ajimobi Ordered To Obey Court Order

Justice Eni Esan of the Oyo State High Court 7 in Southwest Nigeria, has instructed the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led administration to always respect court orders so as to protect the sanctity of the judiciary and set good precedence in the country.

Justice Esan made this declaration Thursday as she adjourned till 28 February, sitting on a suit filed by The Registered Trustees of Boys Scout of Nigeria against Governor Ajimobi and his two commissioners, Mr. Bayo Ojo and Bimbo Kolade, Commissioner for Justice and Lands, Housing and Survey respectively.

The petitioner (Boys Scout) sued the trio for forcefully taking over its landed property known as Scout Camp located at Molete Area of the city and converting it into a neigbourhood market.

Justice Esan’s order came at the request from the counsel of the Boys Scout, Mrs. W. Ogunkeye asking the court to warn the defendants to obey the court order to stay away from the property under dispute until the determination of the case.

Ogunkeye said, “My lord, I demand that you ask the defendants’ counsel to warn their clients to obey the order of the court. The defendants should be warned to desist from not obeying the court’s order. A government that is not obeying the court’s order is sending bad signals out; more especially, such a government is sending bad signals to the community.”

Firing back, counsel to the governor and two others, Mr. Olayinka Bolanle said he was not bound to obey a court order that has already been appealed against explaining, “the only order we are aware of is subject to appeal. We have already appealed against it. We are appealing it and cannot be bound to obey the court order we have appealed against.”

According to him, he filed an application dated 16 January, 2013 against the order through a motion on notice supported by a 10-paragraph affidavit and written address further asking the court to set aside the writ of summons and all other originating processes filed in the matter for being incompetent and by reason of which the court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate or make any enforceable order thereon.

—GBENRO ADESINA/Ibadan