Court declares suspension of OSUAA NEC unconstitutional, awards ₦3m damages.
The Osun State High Court in Osogbo has ruled that the suspension of the National Executive Council (NEC) of Osun State University, Osogbo, by the Board of Trustees (BoT) is invalid. Justice M. O. Awe delivered this judgment, stating that the BoT’s actions were in violation of the association’s constitution.
The case was brought before the court by two NEC members, Basit Abubakar, who served as the General Secretary, and Tobi Oyesowo, the legal adviser. They challenged the BoT’s decision to suspend the entire NEC over allegations of gross misconduct.
In the judgment, Justice Awe not only declared the suspension of the plaintiffs as members of the UNIOSUN Alumni Association’s NEC by the BoT as ultra vires, null, and void but also issued an order to set aside the suspension. The suspension had occurred before the expiration of the plaintiffs’ tenure of office, which was set to end on May 28, 2023.
Furthermore, the court awarded damages in the amount of three million Naira, with each plaintiff receiving 1.5 million Naira in compensation from the defendants.
In summary, the court found that the BoT’s suspension of the NEC members was unlawful due to its violation of the association’s constitution and ordered the reversal of the suspension. Additionally, damages were awarded to the plaintiffs as compensation for the harm caused by the suspension.
