The National Executive Council, NEC, of the University of Osun, UNIOSUN, alumni has been suspended, according to a ruling from the Osun State High Court in Osogbo, which has been declared invalid.
This ruling was delivered by the court on Thursday.
According to reports, the alumni EXCO has been suspended by the UNIOSUN Board of Trustees for violating the association’s bylaws.
The decision of the BoT to suspend the NEC was in violation of the association’s constitution, the Court said in a ruling written by Justice M. O. Awe.
In addition, the defendants received a three million Naira damage award from Justice Awe.
Recalls that two NEC members, Tobi Oyesowo, the legal adviser, and Basit Abubakar, the general secretary, have filed a lawsuit in an effort to overturn the BoT’s decision to suspend all of the EXCO members for alleged gross misconduct.
“On the whole, the Plaintiffs’ suit succeeds, and I hereby grant the following Reliefs in their favor and against the Defendants,” the court declared.
“Declaration that the 2 Defendants’ suspension of the Plaintiffs as National Executive Council members of the UNIOSUN Alumni Association was ultra vires, invalid, and done so in violation of the Constitution of the Association.
“An Order setting aside the aforementioned suspension of the Plaintiffs by the Defendants imposed prior to the termination of their employment on May 28, 2023.
A total of N1,500,000:00 (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) would be awarded to each Plaintiff as compensation for the Defendants’ illegal removal of them from office.
The Court stated, “It is important to note that the Plaintiffs’ suit is not brought in representative capacity and, therefore, the reliefs to be granted are those entitled to by them as individuals and not as a body of National Executive Council (NEC),” making it clear that the damages were for the two plaintiffs as the suit was not brought in representative capacity.
The court, however, decided against reinstating the NEC until the end of its term.
