Court Dismisses 2014 Suit Challenging Legitimacy Of League Management Company (LMC)

Hon. Justice Demi Ajayi of the Federal High Court in Benin City,
on Monday, December 9, 2019 affirmed that the incorporation of the
League Management Company (LMC) Limited was validly registered
under the laws of Nigeria.

Delivering judgment in Suit No. FHC/B/CS/93/14 filed by veteran
Journalist, Ben Lawrence in 2014, Hon. Justice Ajayi struck out the
suit against the LMC and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
challenging the legality of the registration of the LMC which had
been incorporated in 2013 for the participating football clubs of
the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and the Nigeria
Football Federation (NFF).

The Court further declared that the plaintiff, Ben Lawrence, had
no locus in the first instance to institute the suit against the
incorporation of LMC under the companies law and, thus, was a
busybody and an interloper.

Shehu Dikko, the Chairman of LMC while expressing satisfaction
with the judgment, commended the Court for upholding the truth and
justice in the matter.

He, also lamented the huge cost in time and other resources
brought upon LMC by the suit suit which he described as “frivolous
and totally baseless suit filed by the plaintiff and supported by
those who desired merely to derail the well-ordered and legal
administration of the apex football league in Nigeria”.

“They did this in the hope of ultimately profiting from the
expected disorder”,lamented Dikko and recalled that the Federal
High Court, sitting in Abuja, had similarly struck out an earlier
suit filed in 2013 to also challenge the incorporation of LMC
during the tenure of his predecessor in office, Hon. Nduka
Irabor.

Also, Ifeanyi Egwasi Esq of Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN & Co,
representing the LMC, commended the Court for the judgment
restating the legal status of LMC, which he said has never been in
doubt whatsoever. Counsel to the plaintiff, O.A.K Osinowo Esq,
indicated his client’s intention to appeal against the judgement
delivered against his client.

The five years legal battle had seen the parties fight their way
up to the Court of Appeal and back again to the Federal High Court
before final judgement was delivered on Monday.

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