In a ruling at the High Court of Anambra State, Idemili Judicial Division, Justice A.O. Okuma has issued orders maintaining the status quo in the ongoing leadership dispute within the Eziowelle Improvement Union Nigeria.
The court further directed that on no occasion should the town union election scheduled for June ending be conducted by any group pending the conclusion of the matter in court.
Following a motion ex-parte filed by Mr. Ezenwa Azie, Barrister Ekene Arubalueze, and others, the court has granted interim injunctions against Barrister Titus Akpudo, Dr. Anthony Okeke-Adiubu, and Francis C. Mbakwe. The defendants are now restrained from holding themselves out as President-General, Secretary-General, and Administrative Secretary, respectively, pending the resolution of the legal proceedings.
The plaintiffs had argued that the defendants were unlawfully operating under an unauthorized constitution, and sought to prevent any further actions under this framework, including scheduled elections.
Justice Okuma emphasized the need for stability within the union and ordered all parties to maintain the current state of affairs until further notice. The court also declared the “Eziowelle Improvement Union Constitution Reviewed in 2020” as illegal, pending the outcome of the case.
This judicial intervention has made it clear to the State Government, the law enforcement agencies and concerned stakeholders of Eziowelle Town Union, that there is a subsisting Order of the State High Court, Ogidi for the maintenance of the “status quo” pending the determination of the motion for injunction now fixed for hearing on 11/07/2024.
The court has fixed July 11, 2024 for further hearing of the matter.