A Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the Body of Benchers (BoB) and its chairman Adegboyega Awomolo from removing Augustine Alegeh from his position as chairman of the Benchers appointment committee.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa granted the order on May 27 following an ex-parte application brought by Alegeh, reports City Lawyer.
The defendants in the suit are Awomolo and the BoB.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa ruled “that an Order of Interim Injunction is granted restraining the Defendants from removing the Plaintiff/Applicant and/or interfering with his duties as Chairman of the Body of Benchers appointment committee during his tenure from 28th March 2024 to 27th March 2027, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.”
Alegeh also urged the court to bar Awomolo “from further acting as Chairman off (sic) the Body of Benchers pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction,” but the court deferred consideration of the prayer till the hearing of the motion.
The judge adjourned the matter to July 8, 2024, for a hearing of the motion on notice.
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The online newspaper earlier reported that Alegeh disagreed with the recent reconstitution of the BoB committees by Awomolo who named Yusuf Ali in Alegeh’s stead.
However, in a protest letter dated May 2, 2024, Alegeh warned on the dangers of side-stepping the rule of law, saying “that I accepted to serve the full term of three [3] years and I have not resigned my appointment as the Chairman of the Body of Benchers Appointment Committee. I believe there must be an error which I respectfully request should be corrected immediately.”
The Body of Benchers is the legal body of practitioners of the highest distinction in the legal profession, which is responsible for the formal call to the Bar of persons seeking to become legal practitioners as well as disciplining of erring lawyers
