An Enugu State High Court, on Thursday, ordered that the scheduled election into the national offices of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, be conducted without any interference.
The pan-Igbo socio-cultural group had set January 10, 2025, as the date for a fresh election for all its national positions. It has been proposed that Rivers State will produce the next President General (PG) of the association, with the election to be held at the Ime-Obi secretariat, 7 Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu.
Justice N.R. Oji, on January 7, 2025, issued an order restraining Engr. Chidi Ibe, Mazi Okechukwu Ishiguzoro, and Chief Richard Ozubu—amed as the 5th, 6th, and 7th respondents in the suit—from interfering with the electoral committee set up by the outgoing President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu.
A former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, had filed suit number E/01M/2025, dragging Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the outgoing PG Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu, Amb. Okey Emuchay, Chief Ejiofor Onyia, Engr. Chidi Ibe, Mazi Okechukwu Ishiguzoro, and Chief Richard Ozubu to the Enugu State High Court over the election.
The court order reads: “That the 5th, 6th, and 7th respondents are restrained, whether by themselves, their agents, partners, servants, representatives or privies, however described, from interfering with the electoral committee inaugurated by the 2nd respondent on 27th December 2024 and chaired by the 4th respondent, and/or conducting elections to the office of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (the 1st respondent) or any other office, contrary to the provisions of Article 11 of the 1st respondent’s 2004 constitution (the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo enacted on 27th January 2004), pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
The court adjourned the hearing of the substantive suit to January 22, 2025.