Crisis rocks Okija Town Union

Crisis rocks Okija Town Union

Tuesday, March 26, 2019 9:08 am


Justice

Akin kuponiyi

The crisis rocking Okija Town Union, Lagos branch, has snowballed into legal battle, as four aggrieved members of the union, Mrs Amaka Anyamene,  Chief  Oliver Ikebude, Mrs Hellen Ikebude  and Mr Chritsopher Ibekwe have dragged their President,  Mr Lawrence Ikechukwu Ukachukwu  before a Federal high court in Lagos.

Joined as co-defendants in the ensuing legal hostility are the former President of the Women’s wing of the Union, Mrs Veronika Ezekude , Inspector General  of Police, Commissioner of Police Lagos Command, ACP Saliu Khan of Inspector  General of Police Monitoring Unit, Abuja and Area Commander, Area E Police Command, Amuwo Odofin,  Festac Town, Lagos.  

In an affidavit sworn to by Mrs Amaka Anyanmene in support of the fundamental right enforcement   suit filed before the court by law firm of Ngwu, Oyedokun & Associates, she averred that ,sometimes in May, 2017 an issue of mismanagement of unions fund was raised against the President of  Women’s Wing, Mrs Veronica Ezekude. 

She said the allegation of financial misappropriation gave rise to majority of members calling for proper rendering  of the Union’s financial position by the then outgoing executive which was on the verge of handing over to the new executive about to be elected.

She, however, said the call led resulted in ‘war’ with some members who saw no need for such reconciliation of records.

She added that to compound the situation, several inconsistent and contradictory financial records submitted by the outgoing executive were rejected on the floor of the union during meeting following the demand.

She however said thereafter, on the 13th May, 2018 Police invaded the town hall venue of their meeting at Amuwo Odofin Festac Town to harass and intimidate those asking the executive to give accounts of the finances of the union.  

Mrs Anyanmene averred further that she arrested and detained for two days on the instruction of Mr Ukachukwu and Mrs Ezekude.

She also alleged that there have been attempt to arrest and detain her by Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters Abuja. She said as a result, she no longer attends meetings of the Union and have continued to live in fear.

 Consequently, the applicant, while claiming damages in the sum of N1 million for loss of income she claimed she suffered during the time of her detention is also asking the court to restrain the respondents and their agents from needless harassment and unreasonable threat to use police to arrest and detain her.  

However, in a counter affidavit, the President of Okija Town Union, Lagos, High Chief Lawrence Ikechukwu Ukachukwu averred that Mrs  Amaka Anyamene Chief Oliver Ikebude and Mrs Hellen Ikebude were former members of Okija Town Union until 13th May 2013 when the Governing body of the Union unanimously took a decision to expel them over allegations of gross misconduct.

He also denied all allegations leveled against him as false and fabricated falsehood aimed at misleading the court.

Mr Ukachukwu averred further that sometime in 2017, election was slated for the various positions into the Women’s wing of the union,  Mrs Veronica Ezekude as the outgoing president appointed one Mrs Chinenye Ezeokoli as the returning officer, who called for nomination for the post of president.

He added that only two candidate were nominated and that three of the applicants were present and participated fully in the process.

He said at the conclusion of the election, the first and third applicants Mrs Anayamene and Mrs Ikebude having failed to install their preferred candidate decided to stall further elections into other positions, because of the ensuing chaos, further election was stopped.

 However, he noted that the executive committee of the Union in a meeting attended by all the village Chairmen after a careful review of the complaints and memoranda found the complaints of the first and the third applicants devoid of merit and thereafter, another election was schedule for 13th May, 2018.

He alleged that the applicants resorted to blackmail because of the failure to compromise him to cancel the proposed election and as a result of their threats, he requested for the presence of Police.

Mr. Ukachukwu further claimed that on the day of the election, the three applicants broke into the venue of the election and this led to police intervention in which the two parties were invited to Area E police command Festac Town for amicable settlement.

Thereafter, he said, Mrs Anayemene wrote a petition to the Alagbon Division of the Nigerian Police; while he petitioned the Inspector General of Police because he was not satisfied with the way the matter was handled at Alagbon.

He added that because of the counter petition, they were invited by Inspector General of Police, but rather than honour the invitation, the applicants rushed to the court to institute the suit alleging breach of their fundamental right.

The presiding Judge, Saliu Saidu has adjourned the case till 7th of May, 2019 for hearing .


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