Court hears suit to stop Labour Party rally

TEN Nigerians, among them nine lawyers, yesterday, asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the Labour Party, LP, its candidates, and supporters from conducting a rally, tagged ‘#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally’ on October 1, 2022, or any other date, in Lagos State, alleging that it was an extension of the #EndSARS protest.

They specifically asked the court to restrain the LP’s presidential candidate Peter Obi; his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, one Julius Abure and their loyalists from holding the rally, until the hearing and determination of their motion on notice in the suit.

The plaintiffs are Adedotun Ajulo, Salamatu Lewi, Hakeem Ijaduola, OgunbonaAkinpelu, Owolabi Oluwasegun, Mogbojuri Kayode, Wuyep Nadom, Dimimu Mabel, Kolawole Salami, and Wale Lawrence.

Defendants in the suit are Obi, LP, Baba-Ahmed, Abure, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director-General (Department of State Services), Lekki Concession Company, LCC, Limited, Attorney-General of Lagos State and the governor of Lagos State.

The plaintiffs in an ex-parte application before Justice Daniel Osiagor, through their counsel, Mr. Dada Awosika, SAN, are contending that a repeat or celebration of the “infamous” EndSARS protest of 2020 under the political guise of “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” will cause a breakdown of peace and will result in a post-traumatic stress disorder for them and the public.

They are consequently asking the court for an order of interim injunction, restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, their associates and loyalists from conducting the scheduled END SARS Rally tagged as the “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally on October 1, 2022, or any other subsequent date, at the Lekki Toll Gate until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice in the suit.

Justice Osiagor directed the plaintiffs to put all the defendants on notice and adjourned hearing on substantive suit till September 23, 2022.