Ogbaru Market: Commissioner flouts court order, installs caretaker committee
Polycarp Ifeanyi
Inspite of the order of Anambra State Hight Court, presided over by Justice Alexious Okuma, that the State Commissioner for Market and Commerce, Dr. Christian Ngonadi, Attorney General Commissioner for Justice and others should maintain status quo ante bellum in Ogbaru Main Market, they went ahead on Thursday and impose Caretaker Committee in the Market.
The Judge had also directed in his sitting on June 3, 2022, that the security operatives should not harass and intimidate Ndubuisi Ochiogu led executives following complaints by Ochiogu’s lawyer, Chief Ben Uzuegbu (SAN) until the next hearing which came up on Friday, June 17, 2022.
But despite the orders by the Court, Dr. Ngonadi with the Chairman of Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA), Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, led a team of Police men with thugs, forcibly broke into the office of Ochiogu and chased away the workers.
Sources at the Market alleged that the combined team of Police from Police Headquarters,Awka and thugs from ASMATA office in Onitsha chased away the people in the office, ransanked the place and turned the tables and chairs upside down.
The Government’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, David Obidike was in the process brought to take over Ochiogu’s office contrary to Court order.
But, when the matter came up yesterday for hearing, Chief Uzuegbu reported to the court the action of the Commissioner for Commerce, asking the action should be quashed.
In his fundamental rights application, Uzuegbu argued that his client was not given opportunity to defend the allegations against him, rather the Ministry set up Caretaker Committee , fixed a date for election in 2023 and Stated that they were conducting investigation into the petitions raised against Ochiogu.
He wondered how they could still conduct an investigation when they have removed the elected Chairman based on phantom petitions which he was not given opportunity to defend.
The Senior Advocate also told the court that in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of NIgeria, it is the Local Government, not the state Government that controls the Market.
In her response, the Principal State Counsel, Loveline Ezude, representing the respondents opposed the application.
The matter was adjourned to July 1,2022.
Briefing to newsmen shortly, Chief Uzuegbu wondered why a Government headed by Prof. Chukwuma Soludo should flagrantly disobey Court orders so early in the day.
” We hold Prof. Soludo to high esteem and that was why we voted for him.We are wondering whether we have made a mistake voting for him. What he said is not what he is doing.We have brought the matter to the Governor, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Attorney General of the State but they ignored it and took laws into their hands.
What they did could not be condole in a civilized society. We are looking up for the court. We wouldn’t join them for thuggery for thuggery. We can’t do that, life of any individual is important” He declared !
