Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday held that the restraining order on the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, against the leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) under the leadership of Saraigbe Sukubo, subsists.
The court also affirmed its earlier order on Sukubo to stop parading himself as the national president of NYCN, pending the determination of a legal action challenging the legality of the congress that produced him.
At the resumed hearing in the matter yesterday, Sukubo, who is the first defendant, informed the court through his counsel, Clement Aninuoya, that he had filed a motion asking the court to set aside the restraining order.
Anunuoya also told the court that the Incorporated Trustees of the NYCN, which secured the restraining order against him. had filed a counter affidavit opposing his motion and serving same on him during the proceedings.
He, therefore, prayed the court to grant him an adjournment to enable him react to issues raised in the counter affidavit of the plaintiff.
In a short ruling, the trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, granted Sukubo’s request, and adjourned till August 24 for hearing of all pending motions.
Justice Taiwo, however, held that the restraining order granted by his court restraining the Minister of Youth and Sports Development from recognising the disputed NYCN leadership and its president from parading himself, still subsists until it is set aside.
He warned that no party in the matter should do anything to over reach the court in the issues slated for resolution.
The Incorporated Trustees of the NYCN had dragged Sukubo and the minister before the Federal High Court challenging the legality of the congress that produced Sukubo as the national president.
In an exparte application of the NYCN Board of Trustees (BoT) argued by its counsel, Michael Ogobuchi, Justice Taiwo had slammed a restraining order against the minister from accepting Sukubo as the leader of the council and also Sukubo from parading himself as its president.
Before adjourning the matter to August 24, 2020, Justice Taiwo had queried counsel to the first defendant for writing a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court asking for hearing of the case during court vacation without copying counsel to the plaintiff as required by the rule of the court.
The court, therefore, warned lawyers to always play by the rule of court and in compliance with extant law.
