Enugu Community Drags 7 Indigenes to Court Over Leadership Feud

Posted by African Examiner Ignatius Okpara, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, July 26th, 2020

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Indigenes of Umualor community in Isi-Uzo council area of Enugu state, South- East Nigeria, have dragged seven of its indigenes to the state High court in Obollo-Afor, asking the court to stop them from parading themselves as elected representatives of Umuezuboke Development Union (UDU).

African Examiner learnt that a crisis had erupted in the community leadership, resulting in accusations of terror, brigandage, blackmail, intimidation and use of security agencies, by the seven accused persons, against community members.

Plaintiff in the suit, Mr. Candidus Abaru, on behalf of concerned Umuezuboke indigenes in his motion ex-parte is praying the court to direct the traditional ruler of the community to immediately constitute interim executive members of Umuezuboke Development Union, pending a formal election.

He equally sought for an interim injunction restraining the respondents, their agents or privies from tampering with the community properties and for them to give account of the Development Union from 2014 till date.

The seven defendants are: Mr. Stephen Ogbu, Hope Ede, Gabe Eze, Donald Ogbodo, Joel Ede, Mike Ugwueji and Augustus Nnaji. They were elected as executive members of UDU in 2014 for two years tenure but have remained in office since then without conduct of any other election.

In his affidavit in support of the motion ex-parte, Abaru stated that by Article 10 (f) of Umuezuboke village constitution, “the community has lost fate in the administration of the defendants who have turned lords unto themselves and have left us at the mercy of the Honourable court.”

The Plaintiff, also contends that the action of the seven defendants is throwing the community into chaos since allocated community lands were never accounted for. “The defendants have never given account to the community; abusing the powers given to them and this has made them to remain adamant in leaving office to a new set of executives.”

Members of the community accused the defendants of destroying people’s properties, allocating community land to themselves while the proceeds are not accounted for, even when anybody that raises an eyebrow is intimidated by security agents.