The leadership tussle between Lagos socialite Chief Babatunde Fanimokun and former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Shamsideen Ade Dosunmu over the presidency of Eko Club, has shifted battle to the Supreme Court .
Findings revealed that Dosunmu’s counsel, George Oguntade (SAN) had filed an appeal at the apex court challenging the decision of the appellate court in which the panel of Justices led by Hon. Daniel-Kalio held that Dosunmu’s grounds of appeal were not only frivolous but lacking in merit and therefore stands dismissed.
In the suit filed on behalf of the 1st respondent, Oguntade amongst other prayers sought an order reversing and setting aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on the Wednesday, February 17th 2021, as well as dismissing the respondent’s originating summons dated the 10th day of April 2019.
While the date for hearing of the suit filed at the apex court was being awaited, Hon Tajudeen Jaiye Agoro, assumed office as president of the club, a development which prompted the filing of an injunction restraining the 1st respondent and its agent by Fanimokun’s counsel, Ajose Abejoye, a Lagos based human rights lawyer, who among other prayers asked the court to stop Agoro or his proxies from parading themselves as custodians of the club and subsequently urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to seal the club premises pending the determination of the lawsuit at the Supreme Court.
Abejoye had earlier secured a landmark judgment at the Federal High Court, Lagos under the Lordship, Hon. Justice C.J. Aneke in March 2020 in which the court restrained the Incorporated trustees of Eko Club, members of the management committee of the Eko Club and stated that the parties have no legal authority to act against the decision of Annual General Meeting of the Eko Club held on 27th February 2019, therefore, the court unanimously nullifying the purported selection of Dosumu.
Fanimokun had won both at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, and the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, Igbosere.
In a related development, the police has since challenged the ex parte order of Hon Justice Oyekan-Abdullah of the Lagos State High Court in suit no. LD/7695GCMW/2021 asking the police to vacate the premises of Eko Club.
The Police also averred that the State High Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter since it is a matter now before the Supreme Court being a superior court of record.