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Justice E.I. Ndigwe, presiding over the court in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, delivered a judgment on Monday, condemning the Anambra State government for intervening in the community’s leadership.
The court disapproved of the removal of an elected executive and the inauguration of a caretaker executive.
The judge, in rendering the judgment on the matter, also decreed a financial penalty of N5 million against the Anambra State government for its arbitrary conduct.
The Anambra State governor was taken to court by the elected executives of Nawfia Progressive Union, contesting the premature dissolution of their executive in 2021, ahead of the completion of their stipulated three-year tenure.
In the judgment, Justice Ndigwe declared that the executive’s tenure was ongoing and mandated their reinstatement without delay.
Council to the plaintiffs, Mr Beluolisa Ikechukwu Nwafor, who spoke to journalists after the sitting, said: “This is one more case that shows impunity, great irresponsibility, and descent into lawlessness by government officials.
“They did it in Alor, and they challenged it and won. They also did it in the Agulu People’s Union and imposed a caretaker committee, and the Agulu people went to court and also won.
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“Now, they proceeded to Nawfia and dissolved the elected officials of the Nawfia Progressive Union and also imposed a caretaker committee.
“Today the court has spoken and said the dissolution is illegal, the caretaker committee imposed on Nawfia people is null and void, and the exco tenure has not expired.
In an unequivocal statement, the court deemed the government’s actions unacceptable and directed the individuals to return to their offices and complete their tenure.
“It also restrained the government perpetually from doing such in any other town. Lastly, even though we asked for N50 million, the court awarded a cost of N5 million against the state government.”
