First Lady Patience Jonathan, has been dragged before an Abuja High Court by some women who want the court to restrain her from holding an emergency meeting of African First Ladies Peace Mission in Abuja on May 15.

According to them, it was called in bad faith with the aim of stopping the incoming first lady, Aisha Buhari, from assuming headship of the AFLPM.

The plaintiff’s argument is in direct conflict with Ms Jonathan’s assertion, which is that the emergency meeting was based on an agreement reached last year.

The plaintiffs clearly do not accept her explanation.

The women behind the suit are Nana Module Onwodi, Ekemma Ugborough Arisa, Louisa Ono Eikhomun, Deborah Oboh,Juliet Mene, Juliet Pearce, Sonia Adolf and Kate Duru.

The case could not go on yesterday when it was called because the procedure for proof of service had not been completed.

Accordingly, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, adjourned the matter to enable Barrister Mohammed Ahmed file an affidavit of service and attach the Proof of Service to the said affidavit averring that the service had been effected on the defendant, Dame Jonathan.

The plaintiffs had filed a writ of summons for themselves and on behalf of Concerned Women for Peace and Development, seeking to stop the emergency meeting called by Jonathan aimed at picking a new president of AFLPM from among the other African first ladies to succeed her.

They explained that the defendant stepped into the shoes of president of AFLPM after Turai Yar’Adua stepped down following the death of her husband and then President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

The plaintiffs averred that the tenure of office of President of the Mission is three years, is expected to elapse in July 2015 and, therefore, any attempt for the defendant to convene a meeting to elect a new president would amount to short-changing Mrs. Buhari who ought to get a chance by May 29, 2015 to participate and even contest the office of president in July 2015.

They state that “the defendant/respondent’s intention to hold an election on May 2015 is inimical to the progress and development of the country” as “not only shall we be affected as individuals but the entire nation will be affected as our position in the committee of African nations will be relegated.