Justice Stephen Adah reiterated that the order would
subsist throughout the period of hearing and final determination of the
suit challenging the propriety of renaming the university through a
broadcast by President Goodluck Jonathan on May 29, 2012.
This came even as the court also ordered the
consolidation of the two suits filed separately by the alumni
association and some students of the university.
Adah restated the interim order following a request
by the plaintiffs’ lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria, for an extension of the validity of the order.
Counsel for the respondents in the suit, in their
separate responses to Olanipekun’s application, said the judge in his
ruling on June 25, 2012, had made it clear that the injunction was to be
alive until when the suit was finally dispensed off.
The respondents are the University of Lagos, the
Senate of the university, its Governing Council, the Attorney-General of
the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN); and the National Assembly.
Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), represented UNILAG and
its Senate, Mrs. Titilola Akinlawon (SAN), the university’s Senate; Mrs.
H.E Obayagbon, the National Assembly; and Mr. J.J Usman, the
Attorney-General of the Federation. They all consented to the continued
validity of the order.
The judge, in a short ruling said the order would “subsist throughout the hearing and final determination of the suit.”
Following an oral application by Olanipekun, the
judge also ordered the consolidation of the two suits marked,
FHC/IKJ/CS/130/2012 and FHC/IKJ/CS/131/2012.
All the respondents’ counsel agreed that since the two suits had the same facts, there was the need to consolidate them.
In his application for extension of the order,
Olanipekun had said the status quo which the court said must be
maintained in its June 25 ruling was the name which the university had
been bearing for the past 50 years.
The National President of the Alumni Association of
the university, Prof. Olayide Abass and the Secretary, Femi Olatunji, on
behalf of the association, instituted the suit seeking nine reliefs as
the ones sought by the students.
The judge adjourned till September 21 and directied the parties to file all necessary court processes before then.
The plaintiffs, whose case is being prosecuted by at
least 14 SANs, are asking the court to declare that President’s action
is null and void.
Among other orders being sought by the plaintiffs is one restraining
the university and its Council from complying with the President’s
broadcast.Culled: Punch
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