The Federal High Court, yesterday, rejected an application seeking to stop the forthcoming election of the Chief John Nwodo-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The Incorporated Trustees of Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly had approached the court with an exparte application seeking to stop the forthcoming election into the various offices of the group.
But Justice Iyang Ekwo ordered the plaintiff to put the defendants on notice and adjourned the matter till January 15, next year.
The suit has Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Nwodo’s faction), Chief John Nwodo, Corporate Affairs Commission, Attorney General of the Federation and Inspector General of Police as 1st to 5th respondents respectively.
In an exparte application dated December 7 and filed on its behalf by Mr Amobi Nzelu, the plaintiff is praying the court for an interim injunction restraining the first and second respondents from conducting any election into the various offices of the first respondent fixed for December 2020/January 2021 pending the determination of the motion on notice filed in respect of this matter.
The plaintiff also prayed the court for an order restraining Nwodo from doing anything in furtherance of the said election into the various offices of the first respondent fixed for December 2020/ January 2021 pending the determination of the motion on notice and another order restraining the AGF and police from allowing the faction led by Chief Nwodo from conducting the said election.
In a 29-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion exparte, the plaintiff claimed that the first respondent is an illegal association having not been registered by the CAC under the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
In the affidavit deposed to by Mr Onuorah Onyeachonam, president general of the Incorporated Trustees of Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly, plaintiff argued that the first respondent not being a registered association should not be allowed to operate.
Nzelu argued that if not stopped, the election into the various offices of the first defendant will be a stamp and seal on illegality.
After listening to the argument of the plaintiff, Justice Ekwo held that the reliefs sought cannot be granted without first hearing from the respondents.
He, therefore, ordered that the respondents be put on notice.
While adjourning the suit to January 15, 2021, he said the plaintiff can apply to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the matter to be taken during vacation.
