George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Justice Eze Ohiri Njamenze of the state high court 2, Owerri, yesterday, slammed an interim order restraining ex-local government council chairmen, their deputies, councillors and their agents from further forcefully invading the local governments in their bid to reclaim their positions.
On Monday, the suspended council executives of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who were replaced with officials from the Peoples democratic Party (PDP) by Governor Emeka Iheodioha, invaded the local government secretariats with supporters to reinstate themselves following the Supreme Court judgment delivered in favour of sacked council chairmen in Ekiti state.
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Nnawuchi Ndukwe (SAN) brought an ex-parte motion before the court against the ex-chairmen, their deputies and councillors praying the court to issue an interim order restraining them and their agents from further resorting to self help in their bid to ake over power while the matter was still pending before the court.
Said Ndukwe: “While the matter was still pending in this court, respondents invaded the local government headquarters with thugs armed with dangerous weapons. That is an affront on constituted authority. The court will be reduced to a toothless bulldog if such recklessness is allowed and the state could be plunged into chaos. It is also criminal and treasonable felony to take over government forcefully without following the due process of law, especially when the respondents have already submitted to the jurisdiction of this honourable court.”
Justice Njemanze who granted the prayer said: “That the affidavits of the plaintiff has shown the urgency of the application which is about plunging the state into chaos, that the respondents with hired thugs had gone to the LGAs in spite of the pendency of substantive case before this court which is coming on January 28. The respondents are hereby restrained by themselves, agents, privies in trying to resort to self help, and all parties should maintain status quo from the date of the dissolution of the local government councils.”
He adjourned further hearing to January 28.
However, leadership of APC in the state has dissociated itself from the failed take-over bid.
The party also admonished youths not to lend themselves as political thugs to politicians and those bent on causing crisis in the state.
Chief Enyinnaya Onuegbu, spokesman for the party, who stated this, yesterday, said the party could not really confirm the membership status of the suspended ex-council chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors.
Chief Onuegbu said the matter between the suspended Imo LGA chairmen and councillors and the state government was still in court and yet to be decided.
He said Imo APC believed in the rule of law, due process and obedience to court judgments, and that the party could not have supported the resort to self help by the ex-coulcil chairmen.
“APC is not part of the gang up by some desperate politicians to take over Imo LGA administration by force. Imo APC was never informed, carried along or supported the event and the actions of the suspended LGA chairmen. It is a total embarrassment to the executive members of the party. No loss of life is worth any political agenda,” Onuegbu said.