Hearing resumed today at the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin in an appeal filed by a contestant in the 2024 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council election, Dare Akogun, alongside other aggrieved parties, over the disputed outcome of the poll.
The appeal, marked CA/IL/28M/2025, challenges the judgment of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Ibadan Division, which had earlier struck out a suit contesting the conduct of the election.
In his application before the Court of Appeal, Akogun argued that the National Industrial Court erred by striking out the case despite a pending motion seeking his joinder as a party to the suit.
He maintained that he was a major contestant in the July 31, 2024 election and that the withdrawal of the original claimants in the suite did not extinguish the grievances of other affected members.
According to Akogun, the claimants whose case was struck out were among his supporters who were allegedly disenfranchised through what he described as the unlawful disqualification of their chapels.
“The withdrawal of the claimants was not reflective of the broader injustice suffered by many members of the NUJ Kwara State Council. The alleged irregularities, including manipulation of the delegate list and unlawful disqualification of members, significantly affected the outcome of the election,” he stated in his appeal.
It would be recalled that the National Industrial Court, in a ruling delivered on March 4, 2025, in Suit No: NICN/IL/08/2024, struck out the suit after the original claimants voluntarily withdrew the case.
Justice J. D. Peter, who delivered the ruling, held that the withdrawal rendered all pending applications academic and unnecessary. The court also awarded a cost of ₦700,000 against the first claimant, Fadeyi Babajide, for what it described as wasting judicial time.
However, the aggrieved journalists have insisted that the matter is far from settled.
Counsel to the petitioners, Issa Manzuma, argued that the withdrawal of the suit by some claimants did not extinguish the rights of other affected parties to seek redress.
“Justice must be served. The alleged electoral fraud affected the credibility of the election and undermined the democratic principles the NUJ stands for,” the aggrieved members stated.
The appeal before the Court of Appeal specifically challenges the failure of the lower court to determine Akogun’s application for joinder before striking out the suit.
The appellants further contended that the alleged disqualification of members from the Federal Information, State Information, and Correspondents’ Chapels was unconstitutional and tilted the election in favour of the incumbent chairman.
The July 31, 2024 NUJ election in Kwara State has remained controversial, with allegations of vote manipulation, exclusion of eligible delegates, and procedural breaches continuing to trail the process.
The petitioners are seeking, among other reliefs, the nullification of the election and the conduct of a fresh poll to ensure transparency, fairness, and strict adherence to union electoral guidelines.
After hearing arguments from counsel, the Court of Appeal adjourned the matter and reserved ruling to a date to be communicated to the parties.
