NUJ/NAWOJ Housing fraud: Court summons Ogunwusi, Omowole, Elumoye, Odusola

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 for hearing, on Thursday, at the Lagos Multidoor ADR, Igbosere, Lagos State.

The mediator, Mrs. Dupe Ogunsanwo, urged all interested parties to appear at next sitting in their own interests in order to find amicable resolution to the case.

Of the six defendants, only NUJ was present while the duo of Omowole and Elumoye were represented by Barr. Yinka Kalejaye with no one from Primewaterviews Holdings of Tunji Ogunwusi, under whose chairmanship, the project began.

When Mrs. Ogunsanwo advised that the presence of the key individuals involved was very important, Kalejaye claimed that Ifeyinwa and Deji could not appear in person because they are now working, in Abuja.

Mrs. Ogunsanwo strongly advised that it would be in their own interest to appear in person on March 13, 2019, on the case filed by the Oluyinka Olujimi Chambers.

Lawyer to the petitioners, Oladimeji Olowu of Oluyinka Olujimi chambers also reiterated the need for Respondents to appear in person if the case must be settled as soon as possible.

Just as he maintained that since the transactions were done in Lagos, victims resident in Lagos, the issue of jurisdiction had no value aside that the case can be file anywhere most convenient for the applicant.

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Meanwhile, at the last sitting in January, Deji, speaking to the case manager on telephone, promised to make himself available at Thursday’s hearing while Ifeyinwa’s phone went dead immediately the caller introduced herself.

Also, the lawyer to Primewaters Holdings who chose the date for Thursday’s hearing did not show up again.

Parties present at today’s hearing agreed on March 13, 2019 at noon for the next hearing.

Following the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ’s directive at its inaugural meeting held in Abuja, recently, the Lagos State Council of NUJ, on Thursday, started the reallocation of plots of land to its members.

Speaking on behalf of other allottees, Alhaji Sulaiman Ajayi of Lagos Ministry of Information, commended the Akinreti-led Executive for taking the giant stride of letting people have access to their lands. “It is a big relief and a major step forward.”

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 N4 million returned from the conversion of the said “expired dollars” claimed by Mrs. Ifeyinwa Omowole which they are yet to do.

NEC, however, deferred any sanction on erring members pending the outcome of the case before EFCC.