Justice John Peters of the National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan has adjourned till 19th February , the hearing on a pending application over the eligibility of a candidate Ademola Babalola and the conduct of Oyo NUJ election slated for December 18 last year.
Toyese Owoade, counsel to the eighth defendant, Ademola Babalola, who is an aspirant in the forthcoming NUJ election, informed the court that he was filing a counter affidavit to the motion for injunction out of time and sought for an adjournment to be able to regularise those processes.
However, counsel to the claimant, Mr Oluwadamilare Awokoya objected the application by the defendant, noting that the defendant had been served for over seven days.
In his ruling, Justice John Peters adjourned the case till nineteenth of next month for hearing on the pending application.
Speaking to newsmen after the sitting, counsel to the eighth respondent, Toyese Owoade said he sought to regularise some processes before the court.
Also counsel to the claimant, Oluwadamilare Awokoya, told news men that the defendants had been properly served, expressing dissatisfaction at what he described attempt to delay justice.
“The matter today is slated for hearing on application for injunction against of conduct of 2019 election of officers of NUJ. I was surprised to hear that the eighth defendant, Ademola Babalola filled other court processes which I was just informed within the court.
We made the necessary application but the court said we should wait till February. Definitely, it’s a ploy by the defendant to buy time. The wheel of justice may grind slowly but definitely it will attain its result.” He said
The respondents are Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ, President of NUJ, Chris Isiguzor, National Secretary of the union, National Executive Council of the union, Chairman NUJ, Oyo, Mr Adewumi Faniran, Chairman Screening Committee Pastor Kayode Akinsola, Chairman Credentials Committee, NUJ Oyo Council, Prince Semiu Azeez, and Ademola Babalola, who is an aspirant in the yet to be conducted election.
It would be recalled that Oyo NUJ 2019 Credentials Committee had postponed the elections on the grounds that the committee had received a court notice on the election and that the National Secretariat should clear grey arrears in the process of the election, which included voters list and padding of accredited member list ahead of the election.
Ademola babalola in December 2019 forcefully broke into the office of Adewunmi Faniran, incumbent Oyo NUJ chairman on the claims that he had been elected as the chairman.
Meanwhile, Chairman, NUJ, Oyo State Council, Mr Adewumi Faniran in an interview told Radio Nigeria that he would do everything within his power to ensure justice prevailed in Oyo NUJ.
He said over bearing influence, and total disregard for the rule of law was responsible for pockets of crises in the union across the country with reference to Ogun, Enugu councils, as well as Oyo Council of NUJ.
Adedayo Adelowo
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