Raphael Ede, Enugu
Enugu State High Court sitting in Agbani, has fixed Monday 23rd July, 2018 for hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction seeking to retrain one Chief Sunday Anyim as the Igwe elect of Ohuani Amofu, Nkerefi autonomous community in Nkanu East council area.
In suit no. HAGB/75m/2018 between Chief Gabriel Aninwogbu, Chief David Okorie and 12 others as plaintiff vs Chief Sunday Anyim, Edward Chukwu and six others as defendants, the plaintiffs among other reliefs seeks an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Chief Sunday Anyim who is the first defendant either by himself or his agents, collaborators or privies from making himself present or available for presentation, taking part in any process or act that would lead to his presentation or presenting himself as the Igwe elect of Ohuani Amofu, Nkerefi, either alone or in company of other person or persons to the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs or his delegate, receiving any certificate as Igwe elect, subscribing to any oath of office or being sworn-in or coroneted as the traditional ruler of Ohuani Amofu, Nkerefi, pursuant to the Chieftaincy Stool election held on 30th June, 2018 pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“An order restraining the 2nd to 8th defendants from presenting, attempting to present, organizing or engaging in any act or process that would lead or likely lead to the presentation of the first defendant (Sunday Ani) as the Igwe elect of Ohuani Amofu, Nkerefi autonomous community pending the determination of the substantive suit,” the plaintiff pray the court.
One Anekwe Favour, in a 24 paragraph affidavit in support of the motion on notice, declared that the 2nd plaintiff (Chief David Okorie) scored the highest number of votes cast during the 30th June, Igweship election but instead of the electoral committee to declared him the winner of the election chose to declared the runner-up 1stdefendant as the winner of the election.
He stated that “total number of votes cast is 40, total number of invalid votes cast is 3, while the total number of valid votes cast is 37. That Chief David Okorie scored 12 votes, Sunday Onyekwere scored 11 votes, Sylvester Onu scored 8 votes, Chief Michael Ukpabi scored 3 votes and Eze Ani scored 3 votes”.
When the matter came up Tuesday, the presiding Judge, Justice R. Ozoemena directed the plaintiff counsel, Okey Nwatu to put the defendants on notice and adjourned to 23rd July, 2018 for hearing of motion on notice.
