30th July, 2013
Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta
Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje of the Ogun State High Court 3,Isabo,
Abeokuta,this morning adjourned till 28 October, 2013, the hearing in a suit filed by the Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Association of Draughtsmen against the State government.
The Association had sued the Governor Ibikunle Amosun among others, over non-recognition of the Association by the
State government.
Represented by Barr. Samuel Olawunmi, the Association joined the
Attorney-General of the State, the State House of Assembly,
Commissioner and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical
Planning.
Olawunmi, told the court that the State government had through the
House of Assembly, enacted laws that had incapacitated members of the
association from performing their lawful duties.
Before the enactment of the law, draughtsmen and architects were
usually at logger heads over the endorsement of building plans in the State.
Counsel to the association argued that, “the State government had in
2010 enacted a law that members of the association cannot counter-sign
any building document again.
“We make bold to say that this act is a gross abuse of fundamental
human rights of our clients as contained in Section 40 of the 1999
Constitution (as amended).
“The association was authorized by the then Attorney-General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola on February 8,
1989 to practice her profession as a registered body.
“In addition to this my Lord, we also have a court judgment in suit
number AB/204/1990 in favor of the association. It will interest the
court and indeed my Lord to know that the judgment has not been
appealed against till today, so, we are surprise by the action of the
defendants, “he claimed.
He, thereafter, prayed the court to issue an order that will compel
the State governor and other defendants recognise and accept members
of the association to sign on building documents.
However, the respondents, represented by Barr. Ibukun Olawunmi,
promised to convince the court beyond reasonable doubt the legality of
the action taken by the State government when the hearing commences
fully.
Also, another counsel, Nduka Edechime, representing Architectural
Council of Nigeria, sought to be joined the matter.
“The Council was surprised that the association did not sue her, so we
are praying the court to join us in this matter, because we are the
real stakeholder. Instead of the suing the State government and others
who have noting with the matter at hand, please sue us, we are begging
and praying the court to accept our prayers”, Edechime pleaded.
In his ruling, Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje, ordered Edechime to
properly serve Olawunmi on his intention to be joined in the suit.
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