CALABAR: The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce to maintain the status quo and refrain from proceeding with its scheduled Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit, pending the resolution of an ongoing legal dispute.
The order was issued by Justice Egwuatu in connection with a trademark and passing-off dispute involving the planned event.
The ruling followed the court’s attention to an earlier suit and an existing injunction concerning the same subject matter in Port Harcourt.
Justice Egwuatu stressed the importance of judicial comity and directed the parties involved to respect the authority of the courts while the legal issues are being resolved.
The court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the outstanding issues. It also directed them to file their respective processes in response to the motion that had been served before the case file is returned to the registry for further directives.
Reacting to the ruling, the Chief Executive Officer of Ken-Eva Consult Ltd., Kenule Nwiya Jnr., described the development as a victory for the rule of law.
The court has spoken, and the rule of law has prevailed, Nwiya said.
He maintained that disputes should be resolved through the judicial process rather than through self-help.
We have always believed that the proper place to resolve any dispute is before a court of competent jurisdiction, not through self-help,” he added.
Nwiya said the ruling should also serve as a warning to partners and participants associated with the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce event scheduled for September.
He alleged that the chambers had failed to comply with previous court rulings and expressed satisfaction that the latest order had directed the parties to maintain the status quo.
This case has been lingering for long, and the Chambers have refused to obey court rulings. I am happy that the judge has ordered a status quo,” he said.
I also believe by this ruling every partner of the September event would stay clear until the issue is resolved by the court.
Nwiya also called on organisations and individuals connected with the planned summit to take note of the unresolved legal dispute.
He specifically mentioned the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Access Bank and other sponsors, urging them to consider the implications of the court’s directive before proceeding with their involvement in the event.
He also appealed to Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara, whom he said was expected to chair the occasion, as well as other Niger Delta governors, to take note of the pending legal matter.
I am using this opportunity to tell the Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, who as I learnt will chair the occasion, and the Niger Delta Governors to know that there is a big unresolved issue that the court has put on hold,” Nwiya said.
The dispute centres on the ownership and use of the relevant event identity, with the court now directing the parties to maintain the existing position while the legal proceedings continue.
The latest ruling does not amount to a final determination of the underlying dispute. The parties are expected to comply with the court’s directives and submit the required legal processes as the matter progresses.
Ken-Eva Consult Ltd. reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the dispute through due process and urged all parties affected by the order to comply with the court’s directive.
