A court hearing in Abuja has been adjourned for the second time due to the absence of lawyers representing both parties in a property dispute suit against Sen. Iyabo Obasanjo and others. The case, which was initially fixed for mention on March 30, could not proceed as neither the plaintiffs' lawyer nor the defendants' counsel was present in court. The plaintiffs, ABB Electrical Systems Limited and Amb. Yohana Margif, have been at odds with Sen. Obasanjo and other defendants over a disputed landed property located at Plot 4254, Cadastral Zone A04, measuring approximately 1.67Ha in Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja. The property dispute has been ongoing since January 2025, with the case being previously heard by Justice Inyang Ekwo before being transferred to Justice Mohammed Umar. The court has now adjourned the matter until June 10 for further mention.
The property in question is a landed plot allocated to ABB Electrical Systems Limited by the Federal Capital Development Administration (FCDA) in 2006, and the company intends to develop the land in compliance with the terms of the statutory Right of Occupancy. However, the recent activities of the defendants, including Sen. Obasanjo, have allegedly become worrisome, prompting the plaintiffs to seek an interim injunction to restrain the defendants from entering, trespassing, altering or modifying the property.
The case has suffered setbacks on two occasions, with the first adjournment occurring on January 26 and the second on Monday, March 30. The court has directed the plaintiffs to put the defendants on notice in order to hear from them why the prayer should not be granted.
The repeated adjournments in this property dispute suit raise concerns about the effectiveness of the legal process in resolving disputes. The plaintiffs' allegations of worrisome activities by the defendants, including Sen. Obasanjo, suggest a deeper issue that needs to be addressed. The court's decision to direct the plaintiffs to put the defendants on notice highlights the need for both parties to engage meaningfully in the dispute resolution process.
