A member of the National Working Committee of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Asha Fapounda, has asked the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Ibadan Judicial Division, to give an order for the forensic audit of all accounts of the association.
In an Originating Summons delineated NICM/IB/07/2024 filed against its president, Pretty Okafor and PMAN, Fapounda also asked for an order banning Pretty Okafor from holding himself out for fresh election having served for more than 12 years being contrary to PMAN’s Constitution. The summons also asked for an order that Pretty Okafor and all the handpicked national and state officials, chapters, governors, or by any other or whatsoever name so called, to stop parading themselves as the newly elected president and officers of PMAN as well as an order appointing an interim government, to be headed by himself and the other subsisting members for a period of four years as the new Executive members of the National Working Committee to oversee the affairs of PMAN.
Fapounda also asked the court to make some determinations; whether or not he, pursuant to and in accordance with the Consent Judgment delivered by Honorable Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale of the National Industrial Court, in a suit delineated NIGN/18/90/2019 in the Ibadan Division on February 5, 2020, is not mandated to ensure strict compliance with the binding orders to the Honorable Court as directed in the consent judgment.
Whether the appointment of all the National Working Committee members including him in the judgment entitles them to be in office for a period of four years since February 6, 2020 or not and whether the purported election held on October 24, 2023 by the defendants in this suit is, and his purported removal from the office as the National Treasurer of PMAN, contrary to the judgment of court is not null and void and whether the purportedly selected state executives/delegates for the purported election of October 24, 2023 by the defendants was not in violation of the Constitution PMAN and the order of this court or not.
He asked for a declaration that Pretty Okafor’s election and assumption into the office as the President of PMAN, after the election of October 24, 2023, is not in accordance with the orders and pronouncement made by Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale of the National Industrial Court, in Suit No NICN/1B/90/2019 in the Ibadan Division on February 6, 2020 and the Constitution of PMAN and same is unconstitutional, Ultra Vires, null and void.
He also asked for a declaration that the election conducted by PMAN on October 24, 2023 is null and void and all the National and State officials unilaterally and solely picked by Pretty Okafor, without the approval of the executive members of the National Working Committee, to act, vote, hold and/or holding posts in the PMAN’s State Chapters contrary to paragraphs 3, 4 & 5 of the consent judgment delivered by e Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale of the National Industrial Court, in Suit No NICN/1B/90/2019 in the Ibadan Division on February 6, 2020 and are occupying the offices unlawfully and are acting without lawful authority.
Further more, he asked for a declaration that Okafor did not comply with the order made in the consent judgment delivered by Justice Ogunbowale of the National Industrial Court, in Suit No NICN/1B/90/2019 in the Ibadan Division on February 6, 2020 by conducting a sham election before the expiration of the mandatory four years.
