Nigeria AGN crisis deepens as Ibinabo, loyalists, Emeka Ike disown caretaker committee

There may not be an end in sight following the crisis rocking the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) as the National Secretary of the guild under leadership of Ibinabo Fiberesima, Abubakar Yakub, has disowned the recently set up caretaker committee by a group better known as AGN stakeholders, insisting that Ibinabo remains the incumbent president of the guild.

Recall that the stakeholders at a recent congress in Awka, the Anambra State capital, set up a caretaker committee to be headed by Steve Eboh with notable actors as members. They are Hakeem Rhaman (Vice Chairman), Renell Badejo (Secretary), Bob Emmanuel Udokwu (Adviser), Ochendo Mc Smith (PRO), Rita Tony Edochie (Member), Ernest Obi (Member), Vitalis Ndubisi (Member), Zenith Abubarka (Member), Rita Daniels (Member) and Edith Irabor (member).

The caretaker committee among other things is to supervise the affairs of the troubled guild and conduct fresh elections within three months. But reacting in a statement he sent to HVP, Yakub disowned the Caretaker Committee.

According to him, the National Executive Committee of AGN received the news of setting up a Caretaker Committee to take over the Guild as a shock, adding that no group or stakeholders approached the guild’s NEC on the purported meeting. He frowned at the claims of the stakeholders, insisting that Ibinabo is still the incumbent president of the guild.

But reacting in a statement he sent to HVP, Yakub disowned the Caretaker Committee. According to him, the National Executive Committee of AGN received the news of setting up a Caretaker Committee to take over the Guild as a shock, adding that no group or stakeholders approached the guild’s NEC on the purported meeting. He frowned at the claims of the stakeholders, insisting that Ibinabo is still the incumbent president of the guild.

“Also our State Executive Committees were not aware of the purported meeting. Much as we would not like to respond to the resolution of the said stakeholders meeting which looks like a child’s play to us, we need to set the records straight for avoidance of doubt by our teeming members and the general public,” he added.

Yakub maintained that Ibinabo remains the only elected President of AGN.

He said: “The matter between St. Maradona Mclive Johnson and AGN which judgement was pronounced by the Justice T.S Tshoho of the Federal High Court Lagos on March 16, March 2015 is a subject of appeal at the Federal Court of Appeal Lagos, no: Ca/l/498/16. Until final judgement is given by the Supreme Court, if it takes us there, it will ever remain like that. Examples abound of how state governors were sacked by tribunals and even appeal courts but were never removed from office until Supreme Court gives it’s final judgment. Our States’ Executive Committees were not aware of the meeting including over 85% of State Chairmen across the country so the Chairmen that attended the said meeting did so on their individual capacity and not on behalf of their State AGN Chapters.

“The National and States’ Executive Committees as well as committed members are not deterred, in the face of all these provocations coming from one particular section of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. The National President is not also moved by all these distractions as she remains focused and committed to the welfare and well-being of our members.

“She cannot be cowed out of office. We have respect for the rule of law and shall abide by the legal and constitutional process in order to entrench a lasting peace in our noble Guild. We urged our members to equally disregard the so called resolution which is aimed at satisfying the inordinate ambitions of disgruntled few in the guild.”

Meanwhile, the concerned stakeholders have reiterated their resolve to end the crisis rocking the guild, having directed all warring factions to withdraw all cases pending in court before 20th of July. “AGN cannot be held to ransom by anybody. All warring factions should withdraw all matters in court before 20th of July,” the stakeholders ordered.

On the other hand, Emeka Ike has called on all members of AGN to disregard any peace committee set up by the stakeholders, declaring, “I have never set up or constituted any such body as the only ‘National President’ now, nor have I any boisterous relationship with the said stakeholders. AGN has no more crisis. Stop crying bereaved to start another crises, it has been properly resolved by a court of competent jurisdiction. Appeal does not have anything to do with the given órder’ until revoked. The judgement remains sacrosanct and the only expendable currency as it were in AGN right now. We have you all in mind and are working with other associations such as PMAN to bring structure and accountability to the industry.”