Women drag Dame Jonathan to court claiming she is trying to shortchange Hajiya Buhari

FIRST lady Dame Patience Jonathan has been dragged to court by eight women seeking to restrain her from holding an emergency meeting of African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) in Abuja tomorrow.

 

Dame Jonathan, the current president of the AFLPM, has called an emergency session of the body, made up of wives of African leaders to organise elections as she is due to leave office on May 29. Originally, her term was not due to end until July but with her husband set to leave the presidency at the end of the month, Dame Jonathan will have no option but to stand down.

 

According to some analysts, Dame Patience should have allowed General Muhammadu Buhari's wife Aisha to take over after May 29 and some political opponents see her calling this meeting as a political ploy. Although Hajiya Aisha Buhari has not taken issue with the meeting, eight women have taken the matter to the Abuja high court seeking a restraining order.

 

Plaintiffs Nana Module Onwodi, Ekemma Ugborough Arisa, Louisa Ono Eikhomun, Deborah Oboh, Juliet Mene, Juliet Pearce, Sonia Adolf and Kate Duru claim that the emergency meeting called by Dame Jonathan was bad faith. They add that it is aimed at scuttling any chance of the incoming first lady Hajiya Buhari, becoming the AFLPM president.

 

Trial judge Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, had adjourned the matter until today to enable lawyer Mohammed Ahmed, file an affidavit of service and attach the Proof of Service. The plaintiffs are hoping to get an injunction today preventing Dame Jonathan from holding the meeting.

 

According to the plaintiffs, the defendant Dame Jonathan became the AFLPM‎ president after Turai Yar'adua stepped down following the death of her husband President Umaru Yar'adua. They added that the tenure of office of president of the mission is three years, which is expected to end in July 2015 and therefore any attempt for the defendant to convene a meeting to elect a new president would amount to shortchanging ‎ Hajiya Buhari who ought to get a chance by May 29, 2015 to participate and even contest the office of president in July, 2015.

 

They added: "The defendant/respondent's ‎intention to hold an election on May 2015 is inimical to the progress and development of the country as not only shall we be affected as individuals, but the entire nation will also be affected as our position in the committee of African nations will be relegated. Other African nations who are members of the mission have unanimously agreed that the summit and the election be held in July."

 

They urged the court to grant an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendant/respondent from convening or hosting the said meeting for the purpose of the electing the president for the mission or from taking any step that will prejudice or foist on the applicants and the court a fait accompli pending the hearing of the suit. A judgement is expected later today.