ALGON leadership tussle: Court fixes April 30 for judgment

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 30th for judgment in the suit filed in respect to leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the judgment date on Friday after taking arguments from lawyers representing various groups involved in the leadership dispute.

The Incorporated Trustees of ALGON, Abubakar Abdullahi and Shaban Ohinoyi Shuaib had dragged the Attorney General of the Federation AGF, Alabi Akolade David before the Court challenging the emergence of Mr David as National President of ALGON.

The grouse of the plaintiffs is that, Mr David is Constitutionally not qualified to hold any position in ALGON being a Chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Association LCDA in Lagos not listed among the 774 Local Governments in Nigeria.

At Friday’s proceedings, counsel to the plaintiffs, Batholomew Nnamdi Okpara asked the Judge to declare as illegal and unlawful, the occupation of ALGON Presidency office by Mr David who is the 8th defendant in the suit.

The Cousel informed the Court that Nigeria at the moment has Constitutionally recognized 774 Local Governments out of which Lagos has 20 and Bariga LCDA is not one of them.

However, Mr. David represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria Wahab Shittu asked the Judge to dismiss the case of the plaintiffs for directing it against the National Chairman of ALGON.

The senior lawyer in his preliminary objection insisted that ALGON constitution recognizes the office of the President and not Chairman as erroneously canvassed in the suit.

Justice Ekwo thereafter fixed April 30 for judgment adding that parties would be notified if the judgment is ready before the date.