Breaking!Leadership tussle: Court adjourns Emeka Ike’s suit against Actors Guild

R-L: Ike and Fiberesima

 This is authoritative. A Federal High Court in Lagos has further adjourned till December 17, to hear a suit filed by a Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike, against the Actors Guild of Nigeria, which is currently being led by Miss Ibinabo Fiberesima.

Ike is contesting the legality of the Guild’s governing board designated “National Unity.”
He is seeking an order of the court for a review of the 2007 constitution of the Guild, in relation to the tenure of members of the board of trustees.
Listed, in the suit, as member of the board were Mr. Segun Arinze, Prince Ifeanyi Dike, Mr. Emmanuel Oguguah, Mr. Murphy Stephen, Mr. Sunny McDon and Mr Okey McAnthony.
The case was however stalled on Thursday following the appearance of a new counsel for the Guild.
When the case was called, the new counsel, Mr. Nelson Amaechina, announced appearance and informed the court that the matter was slated for hearing, adding that he was prepared to go on.
But Ike’s counsel,  Mr. Malcolm Omirhobo, challenged Amaechina’s appearance, arguing that he had no right of audience in the suit.
Omirhobo said, “My Lord, I want to bring to the notice of this court that my learned friend has no locus or right of appearance in this suit and cannot be heard; he is an interloper.
“He has not been the counsel appearing for the respondents in this matter and there are no processes or documents before this court, evidencing a change of counsel.
“With respect to this honorable court, I think the business of today is to hear our motion, which has been adjourned for hearing more than four times in a row.
“If my learned friend is desirous of appearing in this matter, then since the last adjourned date, he ought to have done the needful by putting the necessary processes before the court.
“This matter has lingered on for too long, and the respondents, in breach of the orders of this court, had conducted their elections, and are busy constituting havoc across the states of the federation by dissolving committees.
“There must be an end to litigation, and so, it is in the interest of justice for this case to be heard, so as to lay all these catastrophe to rest.”
Responding, Amaechina informed the court that he was duly briefed by the respondents to appear on their behalf.

He argued that Malcolm had no right to object to his appearance in the matter, since he was duly briefed by the respondents.

Amaechina said that although he was new in the matter, he was making necessary efforts to ensure that he secured the case file from the previous counsel, adding that though it had been difficult, he would ensure that the file was handed over to him.
He prayed the court to give him little time to regularise his position and properly come before the court.