Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
A chieftain of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and removed President-General of Bridge-Head Market Onitsha, Anambra State, Mr. Sunday Obinze, has vowed to drag the Anambra State Government to Court if it fails to reinstate him to his position.
In a letter to the Anambra State Government, through the Attorney General, Professor S.N. Ifeme and made available to newsmen, Obinze’s counsel, Eto Okoye of Iloegbune Okoye chambers, which serves demand for the reinstatement of Obinze and pre-action notice, demanded for the immediate reinstatement of Obinze within one week of receiving the letter.
But if in the event the State Government fails to reinstate Obinze, they would have no option than to head to Court after the expiration of the pre-action notice to seek for his reinstatement.
Also in the letter, Okoye said Obinze who is an APGA chieftain both in Nando, Anambra East Local Government Area and Iyiowa, Odekpe, Ogbaru Local Government Area of the State was unlawfully removed from office by the former Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr. Obinna Ngonadi, who has since been dropped by the Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo.
Obinze, according to Okoye, was elected on August 25, 2021 and his tenure was to run for four years which will terminate on August 2025.
The legal practitioner noted that the State Government did not only give approval for the election but also went ahead to supervise the conduct of the election which saw the victory of Mr. Obinze.
But when Dr. Ngonadi was made the Commissioner in charge of markets in the State, he allegedly started making huge financial demands from Mr. Obinze who was unable to meet with the demands.
“This led to the threats by Ngonadi to remove Obinze from office, a threat which he carried out on September 6, 2022, when he wrote Obinze informing him of his removal.
“He replaced Obinze with a Caretaker Committee led by Chinedu Ezekwike after he complied with Ngonadi’s financial demands.”
Okoye said, “It is shameful that Dr. Ngonadi, an agent of the State Government motivated by filthy lucre would sack a duly elected leadership and replace same with a Care-taker Committee without any just cause. It is even more horrible when this sacked leadership was elected in an election supervised and approved by the Anambra State Government.”
He further added that Anambra State Government affirmed the election and recognition of the leadership of Obinze, a copy of which was attached in the pre-action notice.
The lawyer said Dr. Ngonadi was sacked due to the complaints against him made to several quarters, including the Anambra State Government which was unwilling to reverse or at least repair the damages done by Ngonadi.
“We are therefore by this letter demanding that the Anambra State Government reinstates Mr. Sunday Obinze as the lawfully elected President-General of the Bridge-Head Market Traders Association within seven days from this letter,” said Okoye.
According to the lawyer, if the State Government fails to right the wrongs done to Obinze, the letter equally serves as pre-action notice as they would approach the law court to seek for his reinstatement.
