Ebonyi community crisis: Obey court order, interim chairman urges sacked exco
NAN-H-40
Crisis
By Douglas Okoro
Amaeze (Ebonyi) Aug. 25, 2017 (NAN) The interim chairman of Amaeze Community Development Union (ACDU) Ishiagu, in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi, says the refusal of sacked executive to vacate office as ordered by a high court is deepening the community crisis.
Mr Isaac Chukwu, chairman of the interim executive, said the refusal to vacate office had escalated the crisis in the community.
He spoke on Friday in Ishiagu while briefing journalists.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former executive, led by Mr Uche Anyim, was on July 25, 2017 sacked by a High Court sitting in Isiaka, Ivo Local Government Area and presided by Justice Innocent Chima.
The court sacked the Anyim – led executive, following refusal to relinquish power and conduct election following the expiration of his tenure and other members of the executive since August, 2016.
The court also in the suit brought against the sacked executive by concerned members of the community in Suit No: HSK/11/2016, declared null and void and of no effect, the purported 2014 Constitution written by the erstwhile leadership.
“The Anyim-led sacked executive committee has refused to adhere to court judgment and handover all the union’s property and documents in their possession to enable the interim administration under my leadership to conduct fresh elections into the various elective positions.
“The embattled former chairman and members of his sacked exco have defied the Ivo High Court judgment and order and have continued to parade themselves as leaders of the ACDU.
“Their conduct has deepened the crisis in the community and we are due to conduct fresh election tomorrow, Saturday 26, in line with the directive of the court, ” Chukwu said
Chukwu said that his committee had worked modalities for the conduct of the election, saying that the 1999 union’s constitution would be used for the election.
“We have concluded arrangement for the election tomorrow; court directed that the election should be conducted using the 1999 constitution of the community and nothing will stop the exercise.
“Nobody is above the law, hence anyone thinking of sabotaging the collective will of the people of Amaeze community will not only have the law to contend with, but also the rest members of our community, ” he added.
Chukwu who recounted several failed attempts made to recover the community’s document through a formal handover process, said that the former chairman was determined to plunge the community into deeper crisis.
” We have made several attempts to get Anyim to hand over the property and documents belonging to the community which are still in his custody as contained in the judgment and for him to give account of his stewardship to no avail.
“The executive was in the saddle for four years and the 1999 constitution which they swore oath to defend provides that every immediate past executive must give account of its stewardship.
“Regrettably, Anyim and his former executive members have thrown caution to the wind, refusing to handover the property and documents of the union to the interim administration and also give account of their stewardship, ” Chukwu said.
Meanwhile, Anyim when contacted denied allegations of contempt of court judgment and orders as well as causing breach of peace in his community as levelled against him by Chukwu.
He noted that the said judgment had been appealed against and accused Chukwu of being economical with the truth.
” We filed a stay of execution order in the judgment delivered at the High Court, Isiaka; the matter is on appeal; I am still the authentic chairman of the community until the Appeal Court affirms the judgment of Ivo High Court.
“I have not disobeyed any court judgment or court orders, neither have I conducted myself in a manner likely to cause the breach of existing peace of the community,” Anyim said. (NAN)
ODO/OU
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Edited by Obike Ukoh
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