11th November, 2010
The Lagos State Butchers Association, while urging a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to stay the execution of order made in its judgement on 11 May, 2010, has also filed an appeal against the said judgement at the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, the association, in its bid to forestall a breakdown of law and order by some of its aggrieved members, has also petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police against some of the members who they claim, are not known to them but out to cause trouble.
In the said petition co-signed by Alhaji Wasiu Akande and Alhaji Alani Adesina, it was alleged that four persons, Rafiu Adisa Elewide, Shola Adetele, Seino Ojikutu and Mukaila Bada, while a case is still pending in Court of Appeal, claimed victory and went ahead to appoint themselves into key positions of the association.
In addition, they were said to have purportedly relocated the association’s head office to a place at New Garage, Agege, despite the fact that the headquarters of the association as recognised by the Corporate Affairs Commission, still remained 3, Ogunmokun Street, Babalosha bus stop, Mushin and the association is the only body that is in possession of the constitution, while the Corporate Affairs Commission recognised it with its registration number 9824-CAC/6/14Ct.
The two factions were invited by the police at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti and after interrogation, urged them to await the outcome of the court or better still, go home and resolve their differences.
Three members of the association, Mukaila Akanbi, Morufu Shotayo and Babatunde Alabi, while seeking the dissolution of the former executive for election to be conducted, dragged the Board of Trustees of the association before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
In its judgement, the court ordered the association to conduct an election within 14 days, while two more trustees were to be appointed to replace dead members. The court also dissolved the former executive of the association.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, the trustees filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Lagos, contending that the court had no jurisdiction to dissolve the executive of the association.
Counsel to the butchers in the said appeal, Barrister Abiodun Raji of Olusegun Raji Chambers, also contended that the lower court cannot determine issues affecting the members of the association with regard to the dissolution and election of its qualified members into various elective positions without due recourse to the national body of the association and state constitution with which the association will scrutinise, considere and register with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Justice Olatoregun-Isola has adjourned till 2 December, 2010, for the application for stay of the order of the court to be heard.