From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The crisis rocking the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has taken a legal dimension with an order of a High Court of Enugu State, stopping the Chidi Ibeh-led factional leadership from parading themselves as true representatives of the group.
Justice Uchenna Mogbo issued the injunctive order last Friday upon hearing a motion on notice moved by Dr Peter Aneke for the plaintiff.
The motion on notice supported by a 39-paragraph affidavit deposed by Mazi Ambrose Obioha, was brought pursuant to order 39 rules (1) and (2) of the Enugu High Court rules, 2020.
Justice Mogbo specifically ordered that: “the factional group of the defendant/respondents, their agents, servants, or any person or group acting on their behalf are hereby restrained/barred from parading themselves or represent themselves in any function, either physically or through the aid of any medium of any communication as the President General and Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, pending the determination of the substantive suit.”
In suit marked E/878/2022, the plaintiff, Amb. Okay Emuchay and the late Amb. George Obiozor, have asked the court to declare them as the authentic president-general and secretary-general respectively of the apex body.
The suit filed through their lawyer, Dr Peter Chidera Aneke, also asked the court presided over by Justice Uchenna Mogbo, to declare that the “purported parallel election of the officers of the National Executive Council (NEC) of Ohanaeze conducted in Enugu State at the instance of the defendants is illegal and unconstitutional.”
The suit listed Chidi Ibeh, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Prince Richard Ozobu, and Nnabuike Okwu, as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and fourth defendants.