The Lagos State High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Sule-Hamzat has nullified the election of the current Executive Committee of Abraham Adesanya Housing Estate, effectively bringing their tenure to an immediate end.

The suit, filed by fiery rights lawyer Chioma Ferguson, challenged the legitimacy and conduct of the estate’s leadership under Mrs. Bolanle Bodede, citing allegations of recklessness, lack of transparency, and disregard for the estate’s constitutional provisions.

The case followed a series of unresolved petitions by concerned residents to key government authorities, including the Governor, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, and the Police. These complaints, according to sources, failed to yield action prior to the court’s intervention.

In his judgment, Justice Hamzat made several far-reaching orders:

The court nullified the election that brought Mrs. Bolanle Bodede and her executive committee into office, declaring it invalid. The Electoral Committee responsible for the disputed election was also sacked.

The court held that no member of the outgoing executive committee is eligible to participate in the forthcoming elections of the estate.

The Elders Forum of the estate has been reinstated and mandated to take immediate control of the estate’s administrative affairs in line with Article 8(4) of the estate’s constitution.

The court directed the Elders Forum to carry out a comprehensive audit of the estate’s accounts, covering the entire period of over three years during which the outgoing executive was in office.

Throwing light on the implications of the judgement, Ferguson stated that by virtue of the judgment, the executive committee led by Mrs. Bodede ceases to exist and is expected to comply fully with the court’s directives, including handing over all relevant documents and financial records to the Elders Forum.

The judgement is being hailed in legal circles as a significant victory for accountability, rule of law, and community governance.

While some analysts hailed the decision and vowed that it would usher in a new era of transparency, fairness, and proper management within the estate, others noted that the judgment also reinforces the role of internal constitutional mechanisms, such as the Elders Forum, in maintaining checks and balances within residential communities.

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