Enugu Court restrains Ozomgbachi, 4 others

By Chibota Edozie, Enugu
An Enugu High Court presided over by Justice Romanus Odugu has restrained the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Chief Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, and four others from parading themselves as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates for Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency in Enugu State for the 2015 general election.

The three other aspirants of the party, Ejike Eric Njeze, Obianuju Ochinawata L and Calistus Ugwu, who participated but failed in the party's primary election conducted for the constituency on December 6, 2014 at Udi Local Government Area headquarters, were equally restrained by the court from parading themselves as the candidates of the party.

The court which gave this order on Thursday also granted an interim injunction restraining the PDP as the fifth respondent from recognizing and\or submitting either of the four as candidates of the party for the constituency, thereby giving relief to Mr. Dennis Amadi as the winner of the primary election.

Granting the application filed by Amadi, Justice Odugu ordered that the four others 'be restrained from holding themselves or parading themselves and\or allowing themselves to be paraded as persons elected at the primary.'

Explaining why he resorted to court, Amadi told newsmen that he decided to go to court to fulfill the promise he made to his people and the party that he would protect the mandate given to him.

He said the suit became necessary following actions of the first to the fourth defendants' refusal of allowing peace and justice to prevail in their constituency.

'The said defendants took part in the primary election and at the end of the exercise; I was declared the winner having polled the highest number of votes cast at the election. I am surprised that Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi and his cohorts in defiance to the outcome of the election are still parading themselves as winners of the said election,' he stated.