In preparation for its upcoming National Election, the Actors Guild of Nigeria stated that it is dedicated to organising a credible and fair exercise.
This was disclosed in a Wednesday statement signed by Amb. Cornell Udofia, the Chief Press Secretary to the AGN National President.
According to the statement, AGN reaffirms its commitment to democratic elections and condemns all attempts to derail the process.
The statement reads, “The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) wishes to inform its members and the general public that it remains firmly committed to conducting its forthcoming National Election. And the election will hold on a tentative date, which will be duly communicated to all members and stakeholders in due course.
“This information is salient considered by recent developments, including attempts by Mr. St. Maradona M. Johnson—a previously suspended member of the Guild—to interfere with the electoral process by invoking a 2013 Federal High Court judgment that has long been addressed and rendered obsolete through various internal resolutions and reconciliatory actions.”
The AGN, in the statement further clarifies past incident lingering in the union, and speaks future of the union.
The facts behind the 2013 judgment
The 2013 judgment, which concerned the administration of then President Ibinabo Fiberesima and the AGN Board of Trustees (BOT), did not confer any leadership authority on Mr. Maradona. The court did not at any time pronounce him President or accord him any executive mandate over the Guild.
In August 2017, a landmark Peace and Reconciliation Meeting held in Enugu led to a full and collective implementation of the 2013 court order. The key resolutions from that meeting included:
Dissolution of the affected BOT as directed by the court
Constitution of a new BOT
Formation of a Government of National Unity to stabilize the Guild
Appointment of Dr Ejezie Emeka Rollas MON, as Interim National President
Appointment of Mr. St. Maradona M. Johnson as Treasurer, as part of the peace accord
Following this reconciliation, Mr. Maradona withdrew all pending legal actions against the Guild and served as Treasurer for two terms—first in the Interim Government and subsequently under the elected administration of 2019. He voluntarily chose not to contest for another term thereafter.
These facts unequivocally confirm that the Guild has fully complied with the 2013 judgment, and that its impact has been overtaken by time, goodwill, and institutional progression.
On Rule of Law and Due Process
The AGN Leadership reaffirms that it will not act in defiance of any valid court order. However, it also rejects any attempt to misrepresent resolved legal matters as a basis for stalling democratic processes.
The Guild views Mr. Maradona’s recent actions as a deliberate attempt to destabilize the organization by weaponizing legal ambiguities for personal gain. Such maneuvers are not only unhelpful but run counter to the spirit of peace, progress, and professionalism that AGN now embodies.
The way forward
The Actors Guild of Nigeria remains united under the purposeful leadership of its National President. While the date of the national election is tentative due to necessary clarifications, the Guild assures all members that it will communicate the AGN National election date promptly and transparently.
The AGN calls on all members to remain calm, law-abiding, and committed to the principles of unity and democracy that have brought the Guild to this point of renewal.
The AGN’s legal team has been mandated to address all arising issues through proper legal channels, with the goal of protecting the Guild’s integrity and ensuring a peaceful, fair, and constitutionally grounded election process.
