Ohanaeze Election: Court restrains chieftains from interference

A new twist has been added to the lingering controversy in the Ohanaeze Ndigbo as an Enugu High Court on Tuesday restrained some chieftains of the organisation from interfering with or obstructing the January 10 national election of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation.

The court had issued an interlocutory injunction restraining a self-acclaimed factional chairman Chidi Ibe, his secretary Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Richard Ozobu, said to be the chairman of the electoral committee, from interfering with the electoral committee inaugurated by the President-General, Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu.

But the Ibe group had on Monday announced Chief Jackson Omenazu as its new President-General and Isiguzoro as Deputy President-General, along with many others.

A former governor of Imo State and chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ikedi Ohakim, had gone to court to challenge certain actions that could derail the conduct of the January 10 election.

He had listed Ohanaeze Ndigbo, its President-General, Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu; Secretary-General, Ambassador Okey Emuchay; Electoral Committee Chairman, Ejiofor Onyia; Chidi Ibe, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Chief Richard Ozobu as respondents in the matter.

He had particularly asked for an “order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the 5th, 6th, and 7th respondents (Ibe, Isiguzoro, and Ozobu, respectively), whether by themselves, their agents, partners, servants, or representatives howsoever described, from interfering with the Electoral Committee inaugurated by the 2nd respondent on 27th December 2024 for the purpose of the election.”

Ohakim, in the suit No. E/01m/2025, had complained of an act of lawlessness by Ibe, Isiguzoro, and Ozobu, saying it was capable of affecting the conduct of the election billed for January 10 in Enugu State.

At the resumed hearing on the matter on Tuesday, Justice N. R. Orji had restrained the trio from interfering with the election, pending the determination of the matter.