After initial rumors that Ibinabo Fibresima-Egbuka, president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has been removed from office via a court order and Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike has now taken over the position, the mother-of-four recently confirmed that she’s still the lady in charge as reported by Punch.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the AGN reaffirmed that Fiberesima is still in charge as the court did not declare Ike the guild’s president.
The statement reads:
“The National Executive Council of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, received news of the judgement of a Federal High Court in Lagos on the 16th March 2015 , which annulled the election of November 2012 which brought Ibinabo Fiberesima into office.
“While we shall abide by the judgement of the High Court, we shall be guided by the Constitution of the Guild which stipulates that there shall be no vacuum in the leadership of the Guild.
“In view of this, Ibinabo Fiberesima remains the National leader of the AGN as the court did not declare Emeka Ike President of the guild. However, the Registered Board of Trustees has gone to the Appeal Court to challenge the judgement.
“Chief Ibinabo Fiberesima urges her members, supporters and teaming fans to remain calm and peaceful as AGN remains one family. This judgement has not in any ways affected the resolve of Chief Ibinabo to take the Guild to the next level.”
Also, in a telephone interview with a Punch correspondent, Fiberesima-Egbuka further confirmed that she is still at the helms of affairs of the AGN, despite the court judgement.
“People have been calling me on the phone to say that Emeka Ike is the new president of the AGN. But this is not true. The court did not say that he is now president. It said there was a status quo that forbade us from holding elections. We are appealing that because we cannot wait four whole years for the court’s judgement on that issue. I remain president of the guild till my appeal is heard,” she said.
Emeka Ike dragged Fiberesima-Egbuka to court in July 2013, after she emerged the AGN president following a disputed election.