The crisis rocking Okija Town Union, Lagos branch, has snowballed into legal battle, as four aggrieved members of the union – Mrs Amaka Anyamene, Chief Oliver Ikebude, Mrs Hellen Ikebude and Mr Chritsopher Ibekwe – have dragged the president of the union, Mr Lawrence Ikechukwu Ukachukwu before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Joined as co-defendants in the ensuing legal hostility are the former president of the women wing, Mrs Veronika Ezekude, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Lagos Command, ACP Saliu Khan for Inspector of Police Monitoring Unit Force, Abuja and Area Commander, Area E Police Command, Amuwo Odofin Festac Town Lagos State.
In an affidavit sworn to by Mrs Anyanmene in support of the fundamental enforcement right suit filed before the court by law firm of Ngwu, Oyedokun & Associates, she averred that sometimes in May 2017 an issue of mismanagement of unions fund was raised against the president of women wing, Mrs Ezekude, giving rise to majority of members calling for proper account and audited financial reports to be rendered by their executives before handing over to the new executives to be elected.
That unknown to her and other members including the other three applicants calling for financial records, the battle line was drawn against them by Mr Ukachukwu and Mrs Ezekude who saw no need for proper reconciliation of records. To compound the situation several inconsistent and contradictory records and estimates were brought before them. They were rejected on the floor of the union during meeting.
Thereafter on 13 May 2018 Police invaded the town hall venue of their meeting at Amuwo Odofin, Festac Town to harass and intimidate them.
Mrs Anyanmene averred further that she was detained for two days on the instruction of Mr Ukachukwu and Mrs Ezekude, thereafter there have been attempt to arrest and detain her by Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja. She no longer attends union meetings and has continued to live in fear.
Consequently, the applicant while claiming damages in the sum of N1million for loss of income she suffered during the time of detention urged the court to restrain the respondents and their agents from needless harassment and unreasonable threat to arrest and detention by the Police.
However, in a counter affidavit sworn to by the President of Okija Town Union, Lagos, High Chief Lawrence Ikechukwu Ukachukwu and filed before the court, he averred that Mrs Anyamene Chief Ikebude and Mrs Ikebude were former members of Okija Town Union until 13 May 2013 when the governing body of the Union unanimously took a decision to expel them as members of the union over some cases of gross misconduct. He denied the allegation leveled against him as false and fabricated falsehood and misleading statements aimed at misleading the court.
Mr Ukachukwu averred further that sometime in 2017 elections were slated for the various positions into the women’s wing of the union and Mrs Ezekude, as the outgoing president, appointed one Mrs Chinenye Ezeokoli as the returning officer, who called for nomination for the post of president. Two candidates were nominated; three of the applicants were present and participated fully in the process.
At the conclusion of the election, the first and third applicants – Mrs Anyamene and Mrs Ikebude – having failed to install their preferred candidate decided to stall further elections into other positions. In the ensuing chaos, further election was stopped.
However, the executive committee of the Union in a meeting attended by all village chairmen after a careful review of the complaints and memoranda found the complaints of the first and the third applicants as devoid of merit.
Thereafter another election was schedule for 13 May 2018. On the day of the election, the three applicants broke into the venue of the election. The two parties were invited to Area E Police Command, Festac Town for amicable settlement.
The presiding Judge, Saliu Saidu, has adjourned the case till 7 May 2019 for hearing.