• BODY OF BENCHERS FAILS TO PRESENT OLD LIST

• ALEGEH TO WITHDRAW DISCONTINUANCE MOTION

A peace deal hammered out by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola between feuding parties in the crisis rocking the elite Body of Benchers has collapsed, CITY LAWYER can report.

Though Justice Ariwoola had inked a peace deal between the parties at a June 24, 2024 meeting held under the auspices of the Elders Committee, the deal has suffered a setback due to non-compliance to its terms.

An impeccable source who is familiar with the meeting told CITY LAWYER that the parties had agreed to dump the controversial appointments made by Body of Benchers Chairman, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN into some of the body’s standing committees.

While the peace deal was to see former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh SAN among others return to their pre-announcement positions, the deal was to have been ratified by the quarterly meeting of the body which held last Thursday.

It was based on the peace deal that Alegeh filed a Notice of Discontinuance of the lawsuit he brought against the body and Awomolo to press for his reinstatement as Chairman of the Appointment Committee.

A source who is close to Alegeh however told CITY LAWYER at the weekend that Alegeh has also resiled from the peace deal, saying that the Body of Benchers leadership failed to fulfill its side of the bargain by presenting the pre-announcement list to the last quarterly general meeting for ratification.

“I can assure you that the deal is off,” he said. “The Notice of Discontinuance will be withdrawn at the next adjourned date and the matter will proceed vigorously.” The matter comes up at the Federal High Court on July 8, 2024.

An impeccable told CITY LAWYER that the appointments by Awomolo were a sour point at the quarterly meeting of the body, leading to feisty exchanges between members and the leadership.

Though former Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Uwemedimo Nwoko SAN and his Plateau State counterpart, Mr. Edward Pwajok SAN had sought to press their opposition to Awomolo’s appointments at the quarterly meeting, CITY LAWYER gathered that Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu urged all combatants to sheath their swords in light of Justice Ariwoola’s peace deal.

According to the discontinuance motion obtained by CITY LAWYER, Alegeh is seeking “AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT granting leave to the Plaintiff/Applicant to discontinue this suit.”

Setting out the grounds in support of the motion, Alegeh stated that “The parties have resolved the disputes that necessitated the institution of this Suit,” apparently alluding to the peace deal by the Chief Justice of Nigeria. The motion is dated 25th June, 2024.

In an 8-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion, one Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem stated that “On the 24th of June, 2024, the Plaintiff/Applicant informed me over the phone as follows:

(a)“That a resolution meeting was held between the parties and elders of the Profession.

(b)“It was resolved and agreed that the List of members and chairmen of various committees of the Body of Benchers contained in the Secretary of Body of Bencher’s letter dated 16th April, 2024 forwarded to the 1st Defendant herein, is the approved List of members and chairmen of various committees of the Body of Benchers. Letter dated 16th April, 2024 is marked and exhibited as EXHIBIT 1.

(c)“That the List of members and chairmen of various committees of the Body of Benchers contained in the Letter of 16th April, 2024 shall be presented at the general Meeting of the Body of Benchers on 27th of June, 2024 for ratification.

(d)“That in the event of failure of the Defendants to implement the resolution reached, the Plaintiff reserves the right to file action in respect of same.”

Alegeh had on 24th May, 2024 commenced an action against Awomolo and the Body of Benchers seeking to upturn his removal as the Chairman of the Benchers Committee.

Following the latest development, it remains unclear how the crisis will be resolved.

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