A fresh move to arrest the opposition spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, through the use of criminal summon has suffered a setback.
Recall that Ugochinyere, spokesman of the Coalition United Political Parties (CUPP), a coalition of opposition parties, had recently revealed the compromise of voter register in 18 States of the Federation including Imo State.
However, the move by Special Duties Personal Assistant (PA) to the Imo State government, Chinasa Nwaneri, to arrest Ugochinyere through the use of a criminal summon before an Abuja Magistrate Court has suffered a setback.
An Abuja High Court has issued a restraining order and stay of the proceedings of the lower court proceedings pending the hearing of the application for judicial review filed by Ugochinyere.
Justice Hassan of the FCT High Court granted the prayer seeking leave of Ugochinyere to seek certain orders by way of an order for 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 the Applicant in the matter of 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 Ugochinyere will seek to ask for an award of the sum of N50, 000, 000 (Fifty Million Naira) only against the respondents jointly and severally as General Damages for the unlawful prosecution, humiliation and embarrassment caused the Applicant and his business.
There has been 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 Ugochinyere in his battle to get to the House of Representatives in the 2023 elections, which has seen him secure 16 judicial victories.
The matter has been adjourned to January 3, 2023 for substantive hearing.
Credit: Leadership