Anambra Election: Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB dragged to court

Dr. Richard Ndubuaku, an Anambra-based businessman, has dragged Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, ordering it to restrain the group, their agents and members from making utterances or taking actions capable of jeopardising the conduct of election in the state.

This action is sequel to series of threat issued by Nnamdi Kanu that the forthcoming Anambra gubernatorial election slated for November 18 this year will not hold if the federal government refuses to conduct a referendum.

Vanguard reports that the plaintiff, in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/756/2017, applied for an order of injunction restraining Kanu and the IPOB from impeding the governorship and House of Assembly elections scheduled to hold in Anambra State on November 18.

Ndubuaku told the court that he is a businessman in Awka with property in Onisha and other parts of Anambra State. According to him, unless they are stopped, Kanu and his IPOB followers could carry out their threat to disrupt the planned poll.

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Ndubuaku noted that allowing the defendants to execute their threat could lead to irreparable damage to him and other innocent citizens of Anambra State.

In an affidavit he deposed to in support of the suit, the plaintiff told the court that Kanu and other IPOB members have repeatedly made utterances and threats to stop any form of election in Anambra State and Igboland.

He said: “The defendants (1st and 2nd) are capable of carrying out their threat, and if this happens, many lives will be lost, and property destroyed, which will include that of the plaintiff.

“If the defendants are not restrained, it may lead to confrontation with other law-abiding citizens, who insist on electing their governor and a clash with the defendants will occasion bloodbath as there would be total breakdown of law and order.”

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He appealed to the court for an order restraining Kanu and IPOB from further harassing or intimidating eligible voters in Anambra State or mobilising their members to thwart the planned election.

Equally cited as defendants in the suit were the Inspector-General of Police, Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Meanwhile, when the matter came up for hearing, yesterday, Justice Babatunde Quadri, who is sitting as the vacation judge, declined to issue ex-parte order as he was prayed to do by the plaintiff.

Rather, Justice Quadri directed counsel to the plaintiff, Mr. Smart Iheazor, to go and put all the defendants on notice by serving them with copies of all the relevant court processes.