The Federal High Court in Lagos today sacked the Ibinabo
Fiberisima-led executive of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).
Justice John Tsoho declared their election null and void
because it was conducted against a clear order of court that
parties should maintain status quo.
Justice Tsoho ruled that the Incorporated Trustees of AGN
acted with utter impunity in disobeying the court’s order.
“It is not in doubt that the parties in this suit are entertainers
but the business of court is a serious one and it cannot be
turned into a legal play and for this reason, the election is
hereby declared null and void,” the judge held.
Justice Tsoho further ordered Ibinabo to henceforth stop
parading herself as the AGN president.
Besides, Justice Tsoho ordered Ibinabo and all the national
officers of her executive to render full accounts of monies
generated by the AGN under her, including details of income
and expenditure.
The judge specifically ordered that a comprehensive audit of
AGN’s accounts be conducted within 90 days.
An actor, St. Maradona Mikevine, who was the National
Treasurer in the election that produced another actor, Emeka
Ike as AGN President, had filed the suit to contest Ibinabo’s
election.
Mikevine, through his lawyer, Malcom Omirhobo, had
contended that the election that brought Ibinabo into office
was conducted in the face of a subsisting court order stopping
it.
He urged the court to determine whether it was proper for an
election to be conducted in the face of a substantive order,
and whether anyone could parade themselves as AGN
executive based on an election conducted against a court
order.
The judge on October 26, 2011, ordered that status quo be
maintained.
In an earlier suit, Emeka Ike had challenged the formation of
an illegal government known as “National Unity”, to run AGN’s
affairs.
The actor had sought an order of court reviewing the guild’s
2007 Constitution as it relates to the tenure of members of
board of trustees.
He averred that the board, comprising: Mr Segun Arinze,
Prince Ifeanyi Dike, Mr Emmanuel Oguguah, Mr Murphy
Stephen, Mr Sunny McDon and Mr Okey McAnthony, had
remained in office since July 13, 1999 when the guild was
incorporated.
He had therefore, sought for an order setting aside the
appointment of Arinze as President of the guild, as well as an
order reviewing the provisions of the guild’s constitution.
Arinze, who was appointed as President of the National Unity
of AGN, handed over to Ibinabo after the conduct of the
disputed election.