By Raymond Ozoji, Awka
The High Court Judgement of January 30, 2024 has placed an atmosphere of uncertainty in Nawfia community of Anambra State as the traditional ruler, His Royal Highness Igwe Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle, may no longer be the monarch as court declared the Nawfia Progressive Union that conducted the election which brought him into office as null and void.
The Court in its verdict also awarded a N5 million fine in favour of Sir Nathan Enemuo-led executives of Nawfia Progressive Union and ruled that Nathan Enemuo’s tenure as President-General of Nawfia Progressive Union, which was allegedly terminated abruptly by opposition elements in the community in flagrant disregard of Nawfia Constitution of 2013, has not expired. Hence the Court has ordered that Nathan Enemuo be reinstated and continue exercising his authorities as the PG of Nawfia community.
Although Igwe Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle has said that the judgement of the High Court was inconsequential and would not stand as they were already set to Appeal the High Court Judgement and equally proceed to the Supreme Court if need be, the die is cast as Nathan Enemuo declared that the traditional ruler is sacked already and the alleged kangaroo election which produced him as Igwe Nawfia also declared a nullity by the High Court judgement.
Obelle further disclosed that Nawfia would have descended into anarchy if government didn’t intervene to protect life and property. Antisocial and violent activities of the utterly discredited NPU led by Sir Nathan Enemuo had dire consequences on the community. He said government has the ultimate responsibility to guarantee security and peace in Nawfia, hence the intervention by government of Anambra State.
Obelle said, “Actually, Mr Chukwudi Ejikeme aka Udoakpuenyi died on 7th February 2022, arising from beatings of 7th January 2022 inflicted on him by Enemuo and Barr BEI Nwofor SAN security boys. NPU led by Enemuo was removed by Nawfia people in December 2021 mandatory annual general meeting through vote of no confidence, underlined by the doctrine of necessity when Enemuo abandoned ship during the said meeting.
“A dead regime of Enemuo (April 2019 – April 2022) cannot be resurrected by the Court except through constitutional amendment of Nawfia Town Constitution 2013, which prescribed three-year tenure for PG of Nawfia Progressive Union (NPU).
“Above all, the High Court is not a court of precedence/reference, meaning its decisions are subject to review by the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. They cannot be relied on if the defendant has appealed until the verdict of the superior court of appeals/supreme court is heard. Period! Please tell them!”
Nathan Enemuo on the other hand, told said he was not handed any letter from the state government where it was expressly stated in black and white that Nawfia Progressive Union under his watch had been dissolved and a Caretaker Committee instituted. He said words reached him that information making the rounds in the social media was that his executives had been dissolved by the state government.
Enemuo explained that the least he could do was to go to Court to seek redress over the injustice done to him and his executives. He said he approached the Court in 2022 to reclaim his stolen mandate and as God may have it, judgement was delivered on 30th January this year and Nawfia Progressive Union defeated the caretaker committee. That the Court also awarded N5 million fine in favour of Nawfia Progressive Union as cost to be paid by the caretaker committee.
Again, Nathan Enemuo revealed that recently, his NPU-led executives went to the Civic Center to hold meetings but the opposition camp came to disrupt the meeting, boasting that they would not obey the court order which restored him as President-General of Nawfia Progressive Union (NPU).
He said they were not concerned about going to Appeal Court or Supreme Court but their utmost concern was going to court to win and they have won. The restored Nawfia PG maintained that the traditional ruler was afraid because he became Igwe through the illegality of the caretaker committee which he said was in contrast with the provisions of Nawfia Constitution.
That the illegal caretaker committee that installed the Igwe has been sacked; therefore the Igwe is also sacked. Enemuo noted that the illegal NPU executives elected by a faction of the community is sacked too and the traditional ruler Igwe Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle will also suffer the same fate, describing him as an illegal Igwe.
Meanwhile, an indigene of the community, Dr. S.C Moguluwa, who also spoke exclusively with our reporter, recalled that when Dr. Chris Ngige stole the mandate of Peter Obi, he was governor of Anambra State for 3 years but in the long run, Peter Obi won in court and took over his stolen mandate not minding the developmental strides of Dr. Chris Ngige.
Moguluwa said, “If some people organised because they felt they have money and connections to sabotage the existing town union whose tenure was about three months to expire but they weren’t patient enough for it to expire because they wanted to do something. They wanted to organise themselves and elect Dan Obelle as Igwe.
“The mandate Anambra State Government gave Nawfia Caretaker Committee was to restore peace in Nawfia but they left the peace and went to crown Igwe. So that was the greatest mistake of the so-called present town union president. Nawfia Constitution was thrown out by people whom it didn’t favour. You can not go and get Certificate and come back to crown yourself Igwe.”
Moguluwa noted that there was no crisis in Nawfia community but when there would be crisis was when people refused to obey the law. That the Court had spoken and the much they could do was to obey the law while they go to Appeal. He said that the present NPU government in Nawfia was a product of an illegal caretaker committee and by the pronouncements of the court, it remained sacked.
Moguluwa said, “The present traditional ruler is fighting because he knows that the court judgement is against him. He came through an illegal caretaker committee that made him Igwe. So once that illegal caretaker committee is uprooted, he is uprooted too. Dan Obelle is the one spearheading all these crisis even though he was not mentioned in the case. Dan Obelle will definitely go. It is only a matter of time!”
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