Abuja Market Management Raises Alarm Over Forceful Takeover of Markets by Abuja Investment Company Limited
- According to Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML), the Abuja Investment Company Limited has taken over markets in the FCT
- AMML said the forceful takeover happened despite a court restraining the investment
- The legal consultant to AMML stated that the forceful takeover is prejudicial and amounts to a violation
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Legal Consultant Kunle Kolawole has said that the Abuja Investment Company Limited has illegally hijacked markets hitherto managed by the Abuja Markets Management Ltd (AMML) to the detriment of traders and other stakeholders.
Speaking during journalists at the Head Office of AMML on Friday, August 11, 2023, Kolawole, Legal Consultant to AMML, said the forceful takeover of these markets was the conclusion of prejudicial actions taken by AICL with the taciturn backing of the Federal Capital Development Authority and specific individuals fronting for the ministry and AICL.
Source: Original
Court ordered a cessation of takeover
AMML’s Legal Consultant stated that the AICL, FCDA, and other defendants had ignored the judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja and another judgment of the National Industrial Court.
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Kolawole said:
“These authorities have forcefully taken over the markets these organizations manage without recourse to the rule of law. There was a facility management agreement between the AICL representing the FCTA and AMML, which contains express terms by which that agreement can be brought to an end with either of the parties.
“Unilaterally, the AICL terminated the facility management agreement without abiding by the expressly stipulated terms as contained in that agreement. It is important to note that the actions taken by these authorities, including the takeover of markets, came after the judgments and orders of the court had been handed down. These actions cannot stand because, at law, all these actions are a nullity.”
Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court had, in a judgment on July 10, nullified Abubakar Usman- Faruk’s redeployment by yet-to-be ratified AMML Board Chairman, Maina, and the former Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello.
The judge consequently ordered Faruk’s reinstatement as MD of AMML.
He also ordered the defendants, their staff, and privies to restrain themselves from interfering with Faruk’s exercise of his powers or carrying out the company's ordinary business as an MD, including but not limited to holding board meetings.
The judge held that the decision of Maina and Bello to reconstitute the AMML’s Board of Directors in the manner done and publish in a press release of February 21, 2023, and inaugurated the said board on April 4 was unlawful, null, and void.
Justice R. B. Haastrup of the National Industrial Court also had, in a ruling dated Wednesday, July 2023, restrained the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, AICL, AMML, directly or indirectly from convening any meetings of the board of directors of AMML or transacting business touching on or affecting the management of AMML or the relationship between Faruk and AMML.
Haastrup had also ordered that status quo ante be maintained before issuing the purported termination letter of employment against Faruk, pending the hearing and determination of the counterpart's motion of notice.
Judge asks that status quo be maintained
This is as the judge issued an order of interim injunction restraining the FCDA, AICL, and AMML from giving effect or further giving effect to the purported letter of termination of employment issued against Faruk dated July 17, 2023, pending the hearing and determination of the counterpart motion on notice.
On July 12, Faruk resumed his office following the judgment about three years after the office was left unoccupied.
But following the FCDA and AICL's failure to obey both courts' judgment, AMML, and Faruk returned to the Federal High Court Abuja on August 8. The presiding judge, A.R. Mohammed, ordered the AICL, FCDA, Permanent-Secretary FCDA, Abubakar Sadiq Maina MD/CEO of AICL, Engineer Mohammed Abass Yakubu, and the Corporate Affairs Commission to maintain the status quo antebellum from the date of filing the suit, as well an order directing all defendants in the case to appear before the court on August 16, 2023.
However, Kolawole further told reporters at the briefing that FCTA and AICL have continued disregarding earlier judgments that have yet to be overturned.
He said:
“The decision of our M.D/CEO to challenge his redeployment and the reconstitution of the board of AMML, both done illegally, did not go down well with the powers that be in the FCT, expressly, by some staff of the FCT administration and the AICL, who viewed the court action as a challenge to their powers and authorities. Consequently, they started throwing every stone at our M.D/CEO, with many of the rocks falling on AMML, who has decided to abide by the judgments of the courts of law.
“They have done many things and are still doing everything possible to frustrate the M.D/CEO of AMML and AMML itself. For instance, the AICL and FCTA have, among many other illegal actions perpetrated against the AMML and its M.D/CEO, done the following without any caution regarding the damaging consequences of these negative actions.”
Tinubu: FCTA demolishes Abuja’s oldest shopping complex
Legit.ng reported that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished the iconic UTC shopping plaza in Area 10, Garki Abuja.
The UTC plaza, which is over 30 years is the hub for printing and graphics design in Abuja, and it is regarded as the oldest plaza in the city, Vanguard reported.
On why the structure was demolished, the Deputy Director of Monitoring and Inspection, Department of Development Control in FCTA, Hassan Ogbole, said the shopping plaza no longer meets the modern standards of what is obtainable for the growth of SMEs.
Source: Legit.ng
