Court fixes new date for legal fireworks against JC Decaux
By Godwin Anyebe
The full legal fireworks in a suit filed against JC Decaux, a leading global outdoor company will resume May 8th, 2019 as the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has fixed the date for a continued hearing.
Recall that MediaWorth had earlier filed the suit against JC Decaux for allegedly hijacking an approved outdoor site of the company by the multinational outdoor advertising firm.
Justice Saliu Seidu fixed a date recently to enable him to hear all pending applications filed by parties in the suit.
These pending applications include JC Decaux’s Preliminary Objection to the suit, arguing that the act of LASAA by revoking the approval granted to the Media Worth ought to have been challenged within three months when the revocation was purportedly done. Also, Media Worth’s response to JC Decaux’s objection amongst other applications would be heard at the next adjourned date.
Media Worth had sued JC Decaux, to seek redress for alleged usurpation of its approved billboard site by JC Decaux.
In the suit, MediaWorth is asking the court to award it a whopping N1 billion as damages for the alleged infringement on its billboard site by JC Decaux.
Joined in the suit along MJC Decaux are the Federal Ministry of Works and Lagos State Signage & Advertising Agency (LASAA) as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.
MediaorWorth had in its statement of claims stated that the illegal incursion of JC Decaux, a French the multinational agency, on its space has caused disruption on its operations, resulting to loss of businesses.
The Nigerian outdoor company also blamed JC Decaux’s incursion for its recent decision to disengage 22 members of its staff, as it could no longer meet up with overhead expenses in the face of dwindling revenue.
MediaWorth in its statement of claims stated that sometime in 2012, it went on strategic sites hunting and found Oworoshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge suitable for a proposed digital electronic billboard and approached, LASAA, the regulatory body for approval.
According to MediaWorth, LASAA had in a letter dated October 18, 2011, advised it to approach the Federal Ministry of Works, which is statue-empowered by the virtue of Federal Highways Act to grant approvals for the right of way on Federal roads.
