A fresh move by the Governor Hope Uzodimma’s government through his Special Duties PA, Chinasa Nwaneri, to silence opposition spokesperson Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere over his revelation on the shameful compromise of the voters register in 18 states including Imo state by the ruling APC, through the use of a criminal summon for his arrest before an Abuja Magistrate Court has suffered a huge set back as an Abuja High Court has issued a restraining order and stay of proceedings of the Magistrate Court pending the hearing of the application for judicial review filed by Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere.
This brings to 16, the legal barrier and judicial landmines so far laid in the path of Ikenga Ugochinyere, in his bid to represent Ideato Federal Constituency at the National Assembly.
Justice Hassan of the FCT High Court granted the prayer granting leave to Mr. Ugochinyere to seek certain orders by way of an Order of Certiorari including an order of prohibition directed against the Respondents by themselves or acting jointly or through agents, prohibiting them from conducting any hearing or further proceedings against Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere especially in the case filed through NZE CHINASA NWANERI V. MR. UGOCHINYERE IKEAGWUONU – CASE NO. WZ6/CR/30/2022 or on any facts constituting the same subject matter as that Case and an order of injunction restraining each of the Respondents by themselves, jointly or through agents, from further prosecuting the Applicant in the matter of NZE CHINASA NWANERI V. MR. UGOCHINYERE IKEAGWUONU or in respect of any matter whose subject matter constitutes the same as the Case.
Also Ikenga will seek for an award of the sum of N50, 000, 000 (Fifty Million Naira) only against Nze Chinasa Nwaneri and other respondents jointly and severally as General Damages for the unlawful prosecution, humiliation and embarrassment caused to the Applicant and his business.
There has been a series of actions in recent times to silence the opposition spokesperson since he made revelations about the voter register compromise popularly referred to as Omuma Magic wherein it was discovered that millions of fake registrations took place in at least 18 states of the federation.
INEC has since deleted millions of such fake registrations and about 13 of its staff involved are undergoing disciplinary proceedings.
This is yet another judicial victory for Ikenga Ugochinyere in his battle to get to the House of Representatives which has seen him secure 16 judicial victories.
The matter has been adjourned to 3rd January, 2023 for substantive hearing.
