A legal practitioner, Obiekwe Nwakor has asked an Umuahia High Court to nullify the appointment of 17 Transition Chairmen and their Deputies for breach of the Constitution.
Obiekwe Nwakor in his petition, has the Abia Governor, the Government of Abia State and the Attorney General of Abia State as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively, while he is the sole plaintiff.
The summon with reference number Hu/512/ 2023, dated 6th, December; clearly showed that Nwokor’s grouse is the Governor’s flagrant disregard of section 7 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended 1999.
In support of his claim, Nwakor cited Supreme Court judgments on Eze vs Governor of Abia State (2014) 14 NWLR (pt 1426) 192 (2014) 5-7 SC 171 And Gov. Ekiti vs Olubunmo (2017) 3 NWLR (pt 1551).
He is praying the court to declare that the appointment of Caretaker/ Transition Committee Chairmen and their Deputies or whatever nomenclature it was used for the 17 LGA of Abia State by the 1st defendant (Otti) instead of democratically elected local government councils is undemocratic, illegal, unconstitutional unlawful, null and void.
An order restraining the Governor or any appointed person from being recognised or parading themselves as mayors and deputy mayors.
An order of court mandating the 1st defendant (Otti) to, with immediate effect conduct a democratic election into the 17 LGA or pay the sum of N100M as general damages.
