inabo
President of Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Ibinabo Fiberesima, has ordered her lawyers to file an appeal against the judgment of Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which nullified her November 2012 election.
The lower court had ruled in favour of St Maradona Mikevine, who challenged the first female president of AGN.
Last Sunday, the River State-born thespian hosted President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in an all-star interactive session in Lagos.
According to the National Secretary of the AGN, Abubakar Sanusi Yakub, “Ibinabo is challenging the judgment since she believes that the judge never understood the case before delivering his judgment.”
Yakub added that, “That case has been backdated twice since 2011. The case is not valid. Moreover, she has nothing in common with Emeka Ike and his proxies. She did not contest any election with him. So how could he have the right to challenge her elections?”
It could be recalled that the trouble with Emeka Ike and the AGN dates back over six years. He had gone to court to lay claim of the presidency of AGN after the former president of the guild, Segun Arinze, was made the body’s interim president.
Emeka continued his fight with Ibinabo as soon as she was elected for her first term.
Meanwhile a cross section of the movie industry has started to drum up support for the Ibinabo-led AGN government.
As early as 9 am on Tuesday, a day after the court pronouncement, some members of the AGN were seen around the guild’s headquarters in Lagos, voicing their unflinching solidarity for Ibinabo.
One of those chanting solidarity songs at the Ajao office of AGN was one time chairman of the AGN Lagos chapter and Emeka Ike’s former henchman, Emeka Rising Ibe.
In a media chat, Rising, who dumped the Emeka Ike’s faction of the AGN after a long spell with the splinter group, said that his decision for leaving the camp was for the good of the AGN and movie industry in Nigeria.
“I was with Emeka Ike before but had to change and turn back to the Ibinabo led AGN because I have seen that the betterment of the body lies with her. Now I have become an enemy to Emeka Ike and Don Pedro Aganbi.
“My advice to them to reconcile with Ibinabo failed. I told them that there is always a time for fight and a time for peace. Emeka Ike should not be allowed to destroy the guild. Ibinabo is the right person for that job and we are going to do everything possible to support her government,” Rising said.
