By Steve Oni, Ilorin
Kwara youths have shunned all entreaties by the associates of the publisher of Sahara reporters to throng the Kwara state high court complex, Ilorin on Wednesday in solidarity with the online media man, over a suit between him and the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
Instead, both the vicinity and the high court complex were filled with supporters of the Senate President, mostly youths and women.
Saraki’s loyalists had arrived High Court complex as early as 7.30 am waiting for two hours before the commencement of the court proceedings.
It was gathered that some certain associates of Sowore had made spirited attempts to mobilize some youths to the court to solidarise with the online media publisher.
Saraki’s supporters, who conducted themselves in orderly manner, carried placards of various inscriptions, saying that, Saraki owns Kwara state.
It is recalled that the state high court had awarded N4billion against the online medium for accusing the Senate president of misdeeds that were not substantiated.
The online publisher had thus approached the court asking that the judgement be set aside, saying he was not served.
Speaking with journalists at the court premises, the lead counsel to the Senate President, Paul Erokoro (SAN), said that the process filed by counsel to Sahara reporters was not matured for his response and thus the judge ruled that they were within their time within which to file their response while the matter was adjourned till September 14, 2017.
He also said that the online medium posed a danger to the nation’s democracy and administration of justice and integrity of court and thus should be checked for its constant needless attacks against people and institutions, adding that media’s constitutional functions and power come with responsibility and respect, as he called for peer review mechanism.
Also speaking, the Sahara reporters lead counsel, Stanley Ihmaruo, said that they were not served with originating process among other records of proceedings before the judgement.
“We want the court to set aside the entire proceedings. We filed other papers restraining the other party in the proceedings, when the matter came up today (Wednesday), the judgement creditors respondents could not respond to our papers for the hearing of our applications.
However, in view of the ruling of the court that Sahara Reporters motion is not mature for hearing and the judgement creditor is still within time to respond to same, the trial judge, Justice Adeyinka Sikiru Oyinloye adjourned the matter to September 14, 2017.
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