Rivers High Court Strikes Out Suit Against INC Over Lack of Jurisdiction
By Our Correspondent, PORT HARCOURT — The Rivers State High Court has struck out a suit filed against the Ijaw National Congress (INC) in the case of Ibiba Don Pedro & Others v. Professor Benjamin Okaba, the Ijaw National Congress & Others, after ruling that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Lead counsel to the INC, E.K. Okorodas, Esq., of E.K. Okorodas & Co., said the court declined jurisdiction, particularly on the grounds of territorial jurisdiction. He explained that the decision aligns with an earlier judgment in Yanga v. INC, in which the Court of Appeal held that parties must first exhaust the internal dispute resolution mechanisms of the Ijaw National Congress before seeking judicial intervention.
According to Okorodas, the appellate court had earlier reaffirmed that the courts lack jurisdiction over disputes involving the INC where the association’s internal dispute resolution procedures have not been fully exhausted.
He described the High Court’s decision as a reaffirmation of the established legal principle governing disputes within voluntary associations, stressing that such bodies should be allowed to resolve internal disagreements through their constitutionally recognised mechanisms before resorting to litigation.
The senior legal practitioner commended members of his legal team for their dedication and professionalism throughout the proceedings. He specifically acknowledged the contributions of S.T. Ben-Iwo, Esq., T.M. Brown, Esq., Tokoni Agbura, Esq., E.J. Daubriyaibo, Esq., M.J. Amangala, Esq., and himself as lead counsel.
Describing the ruling as a significant legal victory for the Ijaw National Congress, Okorodas said the judgment further strengthens the principle that courts should not interfere in the internal affairs of voluntary associations until all internal remedies provided by their constitutions have been fully exhausted.
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He also expressed gratitude to all those who supported the legal team throughout the legal proceedings.
