The crisis rocking the Mace Club of Nigeria has deepened as a member, Bolaji Adeniji, has dragged the association before a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, seeking the nullification of its recent elections over alleged constitutional breaches.
Adeniji, a former General Secretary of the club, is challenging his disqualification from the election, describing the process as manipulated and contrary to the club’s constitution.
In court documents obtained by the media, the plaintiff alleged that his exclusion from the race was “deliberately planned and engineered” to favour preferred candidates backed by vested interests within the club.
The Mace Electoral Committee had disqualified Adeniji on grounds of alleged non-completion of a voluntary pledge and discrepancies in his attendance record.
However, Adeniji faulted the decision, insisting that he met all mandatory financial obligations required of members, stressing that voluntary pledges do not constitute enforceable dues under the club’s constitution.
“I am not in default of the club’s only compulsory financial obligation, which is the annual subscription. A pledge is merely a donation and not a mandatory requirement,” he stated.
The suit, marked FHC/AB/CS/57/26, further accused the electoral committee of exceeding its powers by allegedly redefining voluntary donations as debts and manipulating attendance records to justify his disqualification.
According to him, such actions undermine fairness, due process and the principles of natural justice.
His counsel, M.A. Sobowale, argued that the constitution relied upon by the committee to disqualify his client is “illegal and unknown,” thereby rendering both the disqualification and the election invalid.
Adeniji also accused the club’s Board of Trustees of failing in its oversight role, alleging that it allowed the electoral committee to manipulate the process and impose what he described as a “predetermined sole candidacy.”
“The trustees abdicated their responsibility, thereby enabling the electoral committee to subvert due process,” he alleged.
In the suit, Adeniji is seeking a declaration that the election is null and void, an order restraining the Aliu Odunmbaku-led executive from parading themselves as officers or accessing the club’s funds, and damages amounting to ₦5m.
He is also asking the court to award ₦1m as legal costs and grant a perpetual injunction restraining the club from infringing on his membership rights.
