Justice Daniel Osiagor of a Lagos Federal High Court, on Wednesday, ordered the Labour Party (LP) and its supporters not to converge at the Lekki toll gate for their “#ObiDatti23 Forward Ever Rally” to be held on October 1, 2022.
According to the ruling, the “#ObiDatti23″ rally procession can hold in four other locations in Lagos State, but it cannot stop or converge on the Lekki toll gate.
Osiagor, however, stated that the procession can pass through the toll gate to Falomo Bridge and the four other locations where the supporters would assemble
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The judge directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Lagos State Police Commissioner to ensure compliance with the order.
Justice Osiagor made these orders in his ruling on a motion for injunction filed by 10 plaintiffs, including nine lawyers.
The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Mr. Romeo Ese Michael, are seeking to, among others, restrain the LP, its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Julius Abure, and their loyalists from holding the rally on October 1, 2022, or any other date, in Lagos State.
The argument according to them was to avoid a repeat or celebration of the “infamous” #EndSARS protest of 2020 under the political guise of “#ObiDatti23 Forward Ever Rally.”
They maintained that such repetition would result in a breakdown of peace and post-traumatic stress disorder for them and the public.
The plaintiffs are Adedotun Ajulo, Salamatu Suleiman Lewi, Hakeem Ijaduola, Ogunbona Akinpelu, Owolabi K. Oluwasegun, a Kayode, Wuyep Mantim Nadom, Dimimu Mabel, Kolawole Salami, and Mr. Wale Abe Lawrence.
The first to 10th defendants in the suit are Obi, LP, Baba-Ahmed, Abure, the IGP, Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, Attorney General of Lagos State and the governor of Lagos State.
Earlier on September 15, Justice Osiagor directed the plaintiffs to put all the defendants on notice and adjourned the hearing of the substantive motion till September 23, 2022.
On September 23, he further adjourned till Wednesday, September 28 to hear the motion for an injunction.
At the resumption of proceedings yesterday, Justice Osiagor declined to hear a motion for preliminary objection filed on September 27 by Obi and Baba-Ahmed.
Obi’s counsel, Mr. Alex Ejezenare (SAN), prayed the court to adjourn the matter to enable him to move his motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
But Michael opposed him, praying the court not to tow that line of argument.
The lawyer averred that the business of the day was to hear the motion for an interlocutory injunction which was ripe.
Moving his appeal, Michael argued that Lagos State could not afford a repeat of what happened on October 20, 2020, at the Lekki toll gate.
“My lord, I wept when I was passing through Igbosere yesterday because of the destruction of Igbosere High Court,” he said.
But counsel to the respondents held the rally was not to be held at the Lekki toll gate.
In his ruling and by consent of the parties, Justice Osiagor held that the LP had a right to hold its rally in four places except at the Lekki toll gate but further adjourned the case till November 4, 2022, for hearing.
