An FCT High Court presided over by Justice O. A. Adeniyi on Monday granted nearly two months to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to settle out of court with the Chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in the FCT, Comrade Stella Okoh-Esene, and report back to the court.
The FCT Chapter of NAWOJ headed by Comrade Stella Okoh-Esene had on January 14, 2021, dragged the NUJ President, Chris Isiguzo, FCT Council Chairman, Emmanuel Ogbeche, Chairman, 2020 NAWOJ Credentials Committee for the FCT Elections, Josie Mudasiru and one Anna K. Daniel to court to challenge her unlawful exclusion from the association’s election.
Okoh-Esene through her Counsel, Barrister Kanu Oko Agabi, is seeking nine prayers, which included a declaration that her disqualification by the defendants from contesting the purported NAWOJ Elections was illegal; and a declaration that she remains the only substantive and duly elected Chairman of NAWOJ in the FCT.
She also sought a declaration that the candidacy of Anna Daniel and her purported installation as NAWOJ chairperson in the purported NAWOJ FCT election was in gross violation of the NUJ Constitution, and also an order directing the NUJ, National and FCT Chapter along with NAWOJ National to pay her the sum of N3.5M as the cost of litigation; among others.
Appearing before the court, Counsel to the NUJ President and the FCT chairman, Barrister Ogochukwu Osuagwu, asked the court to grant the defendants one month to enable him explore alternative ways to seek an end to the feud between Okoh-Esene and NUJ.
In his further submissions, Osuagwu sought for the out- of- court settlement, saying: “Apart from that sir, I on my own was looking at the possibility of my Lord invoking Order 26 on my behalf with the view to seeing whether they can settle.”
The presiding judge, however, advised that the consent of the claimant be sought.
The Counsel to NAWOJ Chairperson, Agabi confirmed to the court that the defendants’ counsel had approached him before the commencement of the case.
“He made me understand that the defendants were open to making settlement arrangements with the claimant. I am not opposed to it. I made him understand that we are ministers in the Temple of Justice and what we want is for justice to be served.
In his ruling, the presiding judge granted the prayers of the defendants and adjourned the case to April 27, 2021 for the both parties to return to the court and brief it on the outcome of the settlement.
