By Olaniyan Ridwan, Ridwanullah Shutti, and Ajadi Hussein Kehinde
Unilorites witnessed yet another historic day with the temporarily-disposed president Faji Samuel Tobiloba seeking the intervention of the sacred court of law of the union. The court hearing which was stipulated to start by 4:30PM was delayed due to the population of the interested students which also led to change of venue.
A lot of students were outside murmuring and voicing their concerns about the venue of the hearing. The chief justice of the union, Hon. Justice Erinle Usman Omopelumi presided over the hearing with the lead counsels of the claimant and defendants on seat. The proceedings in the court however saw some pre-dramas with the lead counsel to the claimant, D R Sarumi SAU, raising a preliminary objection to the appearance of counsels to the defendants.
Immediately, the counsel to the third respondent raised an objection to the appearance of the lead counsel to the claimant, D R Sarumi SAU, on account that he and some of his co-counsels failed to pay their practicing fees. Abdulazeez Abdullah Abayomi, the lead counsel to the 3rd respondent, went ahead to quote a section of the Legal Practitioners’ Act, stating the importance of the practicing fee which he claimed that the lead counsel and the co-counsels defending the suspended president hasn’t paid. This went on with D R Sarumi SAU, the lead counsel to the claimant informing the court that he and his co-counsels have paid their fees to the Students’ Union Bar Account.
Another important issue raised by the Attorney General of the union was the fact that a suspended officer of the union has no right to parade himself as that officer while his suspension subsists. with the AGSU citing the relevant provisions of the law, from the Student Union compendium.
With noises coming from the students who were hailing every point made by the counsels of the claimant, the Chief Justice of the union admonished the gallery to refrain from noise making so as not to be held in contempt. With further shouts coming from the spectators who weren’t allowed in to the court attempted to break into the already filled court. This went on for some moments which temporarily halted the court proceedings.
Nonetheless, the proceedings resumed after the roars from inside and outside the court went down. It was as well resolved that the claimant, Faji Tobiloba wasn’t a president of the union before the court of law responding to the AGSU, Mr Akintola AbdulJalal SAU’s statement. The ruling of the court which hereby came after had it that the AG of the students’ union can represent the senate council since it’s not a matter between student union officials or organs of the student union but a party against officials of the student union. The court as well stated that the AGSU could in fact, represent all other defendants. The counsels of the claimant, the temporarily-disposed president Faji Samuel Tobiloba informed the court of the possibility of settlement out of the court hereby seeking adjournment. This caused a short uproar in the court with some of the students voicing their displeasures over the result.
The counsels to some of the defendants however claimed they weren’t aware of the possible resolution between the claimant and the defendants.
The court as well expressed its dissatisfaction at the possible settlement the chief justice said it was tantamount to wasting the precious time of the court with him adjourning the court hearing indefinitely.
