The legal battle within the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), the Warri Division of the Delta State High Court has granted an interim injunction restraining the defendants from holding any conference or conducting elections on behalf of the association.

The case, with suit number W/128/2024, was brought by the claimant, John O. Aikpokpo-Martins, Esq., against the defendants, Ben Oji and the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
During the court proceedings on July 9, 2024, the claimant, who appeared in person, informed the court of a motion exparte seeking an interim injunction to prevent the defendants from holding any conference or conducting elections for NBA-SPIDEL. The motion, dated and filed on July 4, 2024, was moved by the claimant, who was granted leave to argue the exparte application.

The 1st defendant, Ben Oji, Esq., who also appeared in person, was granted leave to argue on the application, despite its exparte nature. The 2nd defendant, the Incorporated Trustees of the NBA, was unrepresented.

In its ruling, the court granted the claimant’s application for an interim injunction against the defendants, pending the hearing of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction. The claimant was ordered to make an undertaking to pay the sum of ₦250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand naira) in the event that the court finds the application for injunction to be frivolous. The court also ordered an accelerated hearing in the suit.

As a result of the accelerated hearing order, the case has been adjourned to the following dates: July 16, 2024; July 30, 2024; August 1, 2024; July 5, 2024; and July 19, 2024.