Lagos govt urges court to strike out schools closure suit.
The Lagos State Government has urged an Ikeja High Court to strike out a suit filed by the Citizens Popular Party over the state’s closure of 96 private schools.
The government, in a preliminary objection filed on Wednesday through its counsel, Dipo Opeseye, asked the court to dismiss the suit because it was not properly filed.
It also claimed that the claimants had no ``locus standi’’ as the affected schools were shut because they were not duly registered with it.
Justice Titilola Ojikutu-Oshodi consequently fixed April 8 for ruling on the preliminary objection.
Joined in the suit are Gov. Babatunde Fashola, Olasupo Shasore, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Sarah Sosan, Deputy Governor, who oversees the education ministry.
The 106 claimants through their counsel, Mr Deji Olaleye, had filed the suit challenging their schools` closure.
They sued on behalf of themselves and CPP members who are owners and proprietors of the private nursery, primary and secondary schools in Lagos State.
They had prayed the court to declare that the closure of the schools was illegal and targeted at them because of their CPP membership.
According to them, the action of the government is a violation of their rights to association and personal liberty.
They urged the court to order the immediate re-opening of the schools which they claimed had been registered with the government before the beginning of this present administration.
The schools were shut in January 2008 because they allegedly did not meet the stipulated standards.
The government claimed that some of them were operating in churches and mosques while others did not have adequate structures and facilities required in a school environment.
The Lagos State Government has urged an Ikeja High Court to strike out a suit filed by the Citizens Popular Party over the state’s closure of 96 private schools.
The government, in a preliminary objection filed on Wednesday through its counsel, Dipo Opeseye, asked the court to dismiss the suit because it was not properly filed.
It also claimed that the claimants had no ``locus standi’’ as the affected schools were shut because they were not duly registered with it.
Justice Titilola Ojikutu-Oshodi consequently fixed April 8 for ruling on the preliminary objection.
Joined in the suit are Gov. Babatunde Fashola, Olasupo Shasore, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Sarah Sosan, Deputy Governor, who oversees the education ministry.
The 106 claimants through their counsel, Mr Deji Olaleye, had filed the suit challenging their schools` closure.
They sued on behalf of themselves and CPP members who are owners and proprietors of the private nursery, primary and secondary schools in Lagos State.
They had prayed the court to declare that the closure of the schools was illegal and targeted at them because of their CPP membership.
According to them, the action of the government is a violation of their rights to association and personal liberty.
They urged the court to order the immediate re-opening of the schools which they claimed had been registered with the government before the beginning of this present administration.
The schools were shut in January 2008 because they allegedly did not meet the stipulated standards.
The government claimed that some of them were operating in churches and mosques while others did not have adequate structures and facilities required in a school environment.
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