Nigeria: Group Advocating For Igbo President In 2023 Dragged To Court

Posted by Ignatius Okpara African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, October 19th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A group clamouring for the enthronement of a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in the next political dispensation, under the platform of South East for President 2023 (SEFORP2023) has been dragged to an Enugu High Court for allegedly defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians.

In an originating summon document made available to newsmen in Enugu weekend by lawyer to the plaintiff who is also an Abuja based human Rights Activist, Nkem Okoro, (Esq), the plaintiff noted that SEFORP2023, having been registered as a cooperative society, was converted to a political group by a former National Chairman of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) Rev. Okechukwu Christopher Obioha for alleged financial gains.

Listed as defendants in the suit are, the Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Poverty Reduction, Enugu State (1st defendant), the Director of Cooperative Societies, Enugu State (2nd defendant), SEFORP 2023 Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, (3rd defendant) and Rev. Okechukwu Christopher Obioha (4th defendant).

The plaintiff, Obiezu Nwachukwu, had in the suit No, E/727/202, told the court that “despite the registration of the 3rd Defendant SEFORP2023 Multi-purpose Society Limited, as cooperative society by the 4th Defendant who is also the president of the 3rd Defendant, he had continued to use either the registered acronym SEFORP2023, or the full name of the registered cooperative society under the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act, Southeast for Presidency 2023, to organize political conferences, canvassing for the election of a southeast president in 2023, and fraudulently extort monies from unsuspecting members of the public.

He said: “That I know as a matter of fact, that the 4th defendant using the 3rd defendant has been sending text messages of proposed conferences and sending out account number of the 3rd defendant with First Bank, soliciting for funds from unsuspecting members of the public.

“That I know that the First Bank account with account number 2034516784, belonging to SEFORP2023 MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD, has consistently been used for soliciting funds for political purposes by the 4th Defendant as against the byelaws of the 3rd defendant and the provisions of the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act.”

The claimant is asking the court to determine “Whether by the combined provisions and proper interpretation of sections 2(1A&B),5(1),6(1A),11(2) and 57 of the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act, and in view of the provisions of section 3(1) of the bye-laws of the 3rd Defendant, the 3rd Defendant can lawfully engage in political activities, with respect to the declaration of Southeast for the presidency in 2023, as being projected and published via several media by the 3rd Defendant.

He further seek to know: “Whether the engagement and participation in political activities by the 3rd Defendant is not against the intents and purposes of the creation and or registration of the 3rd Defendant as a cooperative society by virtue of the combined provisions of sections 2(1A&B),5(1),6(1A),11(2) and 57 of the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act.

“Whether by virtue of the registration of the 3rd Defendant as a cooperative society in Enugu, and the limited number of the members of the 3rd defendant as a cooperative society as contained in its registration forms, the 3rd defendant has the legal capacity and or can lawfully engage, undertake or organize political rallies, political conferences, for the southeast presidency in 2023 for the benefit of all the southeast indigenes.

The Claimant equally wants to find out “Whether given the engagement in political activities contrary to the provisions of the Cooperative Societies Act, and the bye-laws of the 3rd Defendant, the 1st and 2nd Defendants, are not empowered to cancel the registration of the 3rd Defendant as a cooperative society.

“Whether having registered the 3rd defendant as a cooperative society, under the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act, the 4th Defendant can lawfully use the registered name, in any form, for any political purposes.”

The plaintiff therefore, asked the Court to make a declaration that the conducts of the 3rd and 4th Defendants, fraudulently using the 3rd Defendant and engaging it in political activities as it affects and relates to the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was a serious offence, and should be made to pay dearly for it.