Anambra community Igweship crisis : court orders parties to maintain status quo
By Phil Okose, Onitsha
An Oba High court, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra State, Presided over by Hon. Justice N.L. Onyeka, now sitting as vacation judge at Awka High court 3, Wednesday, ordered parties to the Igwe Ezeokpoko 11 suit, brought before her, to maintain status quo till 27th August 2024, when the substantive suit will be heard.
She gave the order after hearing submissions of parties in the suit No, HID/223/2024, and motion No. HO/802/2024, filed 25th June 2024, by the plaintiffs, (Nze Dozie Nweke, Pastor Samuel Mogbo and Mr. Sunday Okonkwo), through their counsels, Orlando SYZ and Sunny Yakubu Zeruwa.
The defendants include, Incorporated Trustees of Oba Patriotic Union, (OPU), Chief Anthony Uzochukwu Ejiofor, Mr. Nwabueze Emebo, Prof Austin Azubogu and Hon. Ndu Ikeokwu while their counsel is Rt. Hon. Emeka Anyanwu.
In the suit, the plaintiffs sought for the following reliefs: an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, servants, privies, committees, or any other person or persons acting for them, or on their behalf, from further taking any step or steps acting for them or on their behalf, from further taking any step or steps or actions, henceforth in, or towards the election/selection of any person as Igwe Ezeokpoko 11 of Oba, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The plaintiffs also prayed the court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies, servants, committees or by whatsoever name called or Igwe Ezeokpoko 11 election/selection or committee of any person or persons acting for them or on their behalf from electing/selecting any person as Ezeokpoko 11, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The court however, refused the prayers but rather ordered that parties should maintain status quo adding that granting the prayers of the plaintiffs means ruling on the matter and adjourned case to 27th August 2024 for hearing on the substantive suit.
Reacting outside the court hall, counsel to the defendants, Anyanwu, said, "Court said we should wait, and that is what it should be, for the substantive application to be heard on the 27th of this August, and then to get a final ruling on whether the process that have been going through would be cancelled or not".
Orlando and Zeruwa, counsels to the plaintiffs, told newsmen that, "We went for the ruling of the motion on notice, we filed, argued on the 12th of July, so the court in its wisdom, we prayed that the executives should be stopped from any action of selecting an Igwe, pending when the court finishes the main substantive suit we filed and this our prayer are exactly what we asked for in the main suit, stopping the executives on the steps they were taking and follow the constitutional provision.
"So the court in its wisdom said no, that instead of giving us, answering this prayer on notice means to grant the prayer, the relieved we sought for in the main suit, they said no, that since they are both the same prayers, they should go straight to the main suit, but rather summarizing our prayer, ordered that the action should be stopped, that no action should be taken on the election of Igwe again pending the determination of this suit.
" Exactly the summary of what we sought for in the motion on notice, that is why we believe that our prayers were answered.
"The judge stated her readiness to help Oba people so that they would do this thing quick because she has seen where the issue of Igwe caused a lot of damages in the town, saying that she doesn't want such to happen to Oba town if the parties involve will agree on to move along with the court.
"One of the vital things we informed the court today was the action of the executives of OPU over the counsel's action after the court section on the 12th, they went ahead and told OPU that there was nothing as exparte injunction, that it has expired, matters in court do not mean anything, that they should go ahead and with which reason they now go ahead and propose a motion to amend the particular session which are in court. I reported this matter to the court which the court is not happy with him," he further disclosed.