BREAKING: Court strikes out Fashola’s suit seeking to stop Jang as Governors’ Forum chair

An FCT High Court on Thursday struck out a suit by
Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, challenging
the purported election of Plateau state Governor, Jonah
Jang, as chairman of a faction of the Nigeria Governors’
Forum.
Details of the judgment are sketchy at this time.
Mr. Fashola had on June 5 filed the suit asking the
court to stop Mr. Jang from parading “himself as the
elected Chairman of the NGF in any manner whatsoever
and howsoever.”
However, on July 17, the Lagos governor filed a motion
on notice seeking to withdraw the case. His lead
counsel, Prof. Yemi Osibajo (SAN) said Mr. Fashola was
withdrawing the suit to enable him to put his house in
order.
But Mr. Jang and two other defendants in the suit
opposed the motion. Mr. Jang’s lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo,
argued vehemently that it was too late for Mr. Fashola
to bring the motion after parties in the suit had already
determined issues for determination.
In her ruling, Justice Affen however asked the
defendants to allow Mr. Fashola’s counsel to first move
his motion for withdrawal before advancing reasons for
opposing it.
The Lagos governor sued Mr. Jang after the Plateau
Governor set up a parallel faction of the Governors’
Forum hours after he was defeated 19 to 16 votes by
Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers in a keenly contested
chairmanship election.