A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), Prof. Rasheed Na’Allah, to appear before it on June 13 to prove why the planned inauguration of the newly elected Internal Governing Council members of the institution should not be stopped.

Presiding judge Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order in a ruling shortly after the plaintiffs’ counsel, Maxwell Opara, moved an ex-parte motion to the effect on Friday, June 7, 2024.

The plaintiffs – Prof. Saint Gbilekaa, Prof. Edmund Nwanna, Prof. Sunday Ejaro, Prof. Kasim Umar, Prof. Wesley Nafarnda, and Dr Uju Patrick – had filed the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/683/2024.

The six aggrieved senior lecturers sued Na’Allah; President Bola Tinubu; the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi; and the National Universities Commission (NUC) as 1st to 4th defendants, respectively.

In the motion dated and filed June 5 through their lawyer, they sought seven reliefs, which include an order of interim injunction directing all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the motion on notice.

They also sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant (VC) and others from conducting any inauguration of the newly elected internal council members of the university pending the determination of the motion on notice.

They equally sought an interim injunction restraining the 2nd to 4th defendants from recognising, accepting or otherwise having anything to do with any person or persons purportedly elected as Internal Council Members of the university’s Governing Council by Na’Allah pending the determination of the substantive suit.

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The plaintiffs sought an interim injunction stopping any person or group of persons newly elected as members of the Internal Governing Council by the VC in an election conducted on May 28 from parading themselves as of the council pending the determination of the motion on notice.

They prayed the court to make an interim order restraining Na’Allah from setting up any administrative panel of inquiry or disciplinary committee for the purpose of sanctioning, disciplining or questioning the six of them who are the substantive parties in this suit, as any of such as will be prejudicial to the unfettered powers of the court.

Giving six grounds why the motion should be granted, they argued that the case was filed on May 22 and copies of all the processes duly served on Na’Allah by the bailiff.

They said despite the pendency of the suit in court, the UniAbuja VC conducted “the purported election of new Governing Council on May 28, 2024”.

They stated: “The inauguration of the Council of Federal Universities may take place at any moment and presenting the purportedly elected persons as internal Council members of the University of Abuja would have the effect of destroying the res in this case.

“That the 1st defendant/respondent is intimidating the claimants for approaching court.”

Justice Ekwo, therefore, ordered the plaintiffs to put the defendants on notice of the motion ex-parte within three days of the order.

“Defendants/Respondents to show cause on the next date of hearing the prayers of the plaintiffs/applicants on the motion ex-parte ought not be granted,” the judge said.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until June 13 for defendants to show cause.

The Star