The Alternative Dispute Resolution Court sitting at the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere which asked Ooni’s brother of Primewaterviews Holdings, Tunji Ogunwusi, President of NAWOJ, Ifeyinwa Omowole NAWOJ National Treasurer, Tosin Odusola and former chairman of NUJ Lagos Council, Deji Elumoye to appear before it, on Wednesday, March 13 over the NUJ/ NAWOJ housing fraud pending before received a letter that the alleged accused would rather appear on April 11.
The decision to seek postponement for the appearance of Omowoke and Elumoye was contained in a letter delivered by their counsel, Yinka Kaleaiye to the court when the case between some Lagos journalists and other claimants versus NAWOJ’s National President, Ifeyinwa Omowole, Deji Elumoye, Tosin Odusola, Primewaterview Holdings and NUJ came up on March 13.
It would be recalled that in February 29 when the matter came up for hearing at the Lagos Multidoor ADR, Igbosere-Lagos, the mediator, Mrs. Dupe Ogunsanwo had urged all interested parties to appear at the next sitting ion March 13 in their own interest in order to find amicable resolution to the case.
Out of the six defendants, only NUJ was present at the February hearing while the duo of Omowole and Elumoye were represented by Barrister Yinka Kalejaye with no one from Primewaterviews Holdings of Tunji Ogunwusi, under whose chairmanship, the project began.
Mrs Ogunsanwo advised that the presence of the key individuals involved is very important, although Kalejaye claimed that Ifeyinwa Omowole and Deji Elumoye cannot appear in person because they are now working in Abuja.
Mrs Ogunsanwo strongly advised that it will be in their own interest to appear in person on March 13th, 2019 but unfortunately both sought extension till April 11.
Meanwhile, at the last sitting in January, Elumoye who spoke to the case manager on phone, promised to make himself available at the February 20th hearing while Omowole’s phone went dead immediately the caller introduced herself.
Also, the lawyer to Primewaters Holdings who chose the February date for the hearing did not show up.
Meanwhile, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ’s during its inaugural meeting held in Abuja recently, directed the Lagos State Council of NUJ to start the reallocation of plots of land to its members.
The NEC also directed that every legal step should be taken to recover the money not accounted for out of the several millions paid to the Primewaterview Holdings Limited in five instalments between July 2016, and April 2017. The money should be returned to Subscribers.
NEC directed that Lagos State Council must take steps to verify the N4million returned from the conversion of the said “expired dollars” claimed by Mrs. Ifeyinwa Omowole which they are yet to do.
NEC however defered any sanction on erring members pending the outcome of the case before EFCC.