Tension is brewing in Ekwenu autonomous community in Obolo-Affor, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, as a community leader has raised alarm over an alleged plan to issue a certificate of recognition to a contender for the Igweship stool despite a subsisting court order.
Chief Emma Ugwu, who is an Igweship nominee and plaintiff in suit no: OB/40/2024, warned that if Governor Peter Mbah does not intervene, the Enugu State Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs could plunge the community into avoidable chaos.
In a statement made available to journalists, Ugwu accused the ministry of planning "to commit another contempt of the court, obstruct justice and throw the Enugu community into mayhem over a contentious chieftaincy stool."
According to Ugwu, one Chinwe Eze, in collaboration with the Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Matters, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, and the Chairman of Udenu Local Government Area, Mr. Aka Eze Aka, are allegedly planning to ignore a court order and issue a certificate of recognition to Chinwe Eze as the Igwe (traditional ruler) of the community.
"We want to caution political appointees not to abuse their office by engaging in lawlessness. We insist that a matter that is subjudice with a valid court order should be respected," Ugwu stated.
He further alleged that this would be the third time the respondents would be flouting the court order. He claimed that apart from purporting that Chinwe was elected, the local government chairman also announced him as Igwe-elect to the people, all against the subsisting court order.
"The subsisting order of the High Court is that anything pertaining to Igweship stool of Ekwenu Autonomous Community should be put on hold pending the determination of the substantive suit. But instead of allowing the court process to run its natural course, Chinwe Eze is resorting to self-help," Ugwu alleged.
According to the community leader, Chinwe Eze had previously filed multiple motions to set aside the restraining order, all of which were rejected by the court. He added that Chinwe has also filed an appeal at the Appeal Court, which is still pending.
Ugwu appealed to Governor Mbah to intervene through the Attorney General "to nip this potential time-bomb in the bud and call the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs to order."
"The State Governor should please take note of this ugly development and attempt to compromise the rule of law, which has the potential of throwing the community into chaos and violence," he pleaded.
As of the time of filing this report, both the commissioner and the Udenu local government chairman are yet to respond to the claims.
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