BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
The Amaeze Community in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has inaugurated Okoro Uchenna Paul as the substantive Chairman of the Amaeze Development Union, alongside other elected officials after a 5year legal battle.
This was disclosed to Journalists, Saturday in Abakaliki by Chikadibia Elom Esq, the Counsel to the newly installed Chairman of Amaeze Development Union, Okoro Uchenna Paul, who was inaugurated on Tuesday 22nd February 2022 following the ruling by the High Court of Ebonyi State in the Ivo Judicial Division holden at Isiaka before his Lordship Hon. Justice F.A Edem.
According to the court ruling by the Motion No: HSK/6M/2021, the applicant, Okoro Uchenna Paul, was seeking an order of the court directing the respondent Chief Isaac Chukwu to inaugurate the applicant as the Chairman of Amaeze Development Union pursuant to the order of the court made on 25th day of July, 2017 by Chima J.
Justice Edem noted that the gravamen of the application could be pictured from the facts aveered at the paragraph 6,7,and 8 of the affidavit in support of the motion, in a summarized form, were that the respondent was via the aforesaid order of this court handed the mantle of leadership as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Amaeze Development Union cum the Chairman of the Electoral Committee which has the specific mandate to conduct an election of the development union.
That in line with the said order of the Court, the respondent, Isaac Chukwu co-opted eight other members of the said Electoral Committee was election conducted 26th August 2017 and the applicant, Okoro Uchenna Paul was declared as a winner.
However, the respondent has refused to swear in the applicant who won the election as the Chairman of Amaeze Development Union, leading to the application to enable the Court make an order of mandamus compelling the respondent to obey the order of the court as dated 25th July, 2017.
Justice Edem who observed both the submissions and counter-submissions by the counsels of the applicant and respondent respectively, ruled that there was merit in the application and granted the relief sought by the applicant.
"Accordingly, the respondent is hereby mandated to inaugurate, not only the applicant but also the other persons who won the election conducted by the Electoral Committee of Amaeze Development Union as the substantive executive members of Amaeze Development Union.
"He is also mandated to hand over the affairs and items of property of Amaeze Development Union under his custody as the Caretaker Chairman thereof to the applicant for the smooth management of the affairs of the said community," Justice Edem ruled.
Meanwhile, the Counsel to the Respondent, Barr Jeremiah Edeh Nwamvunta has accepted the ruling, noting that, there was no way he could counter the position of the court in the matter. "I know, we can't counter the Court ruling. My client has no other option than to obey the court order, he was mandated to conduct election, he has to inaugurate the elected officials for peace to reign in the said Amaeze Development Union," Nwamvunta said.
