A Magistrate’s Court in Abuja has struck down the criminal proceedings brought by the Special Assistant (Special Duties) to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Chinasa Nwaneri, against the Coalition United Political Party (CUPP) spokesperson Ikenga Ugochinyere.
The allegations contained in the summons are limited to the revelation of alleged fraud by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the electoral roll in 18 States including Imo state by Ugochinyere.
Justice M. A Hassan of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has adjourned further proceedings on the matter pending the hearing of the application for judicial review filed by Ugochinyere.
The judge has given permission to the applicant by way of certiorari to include a restraining order directed against the respondents alone or acting jointly or through agents, prohibiting them from conducting a hearing or further proceedings against the applicant in the matter of Nze. Chinasa Nwaneri v Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, case no. WZ6/CR/30/2022, or in respect of any facts which are the subject of the same case.
He also gave orders to restrain each respondent himself, jointly or through an agent, on any matter the subject of which is the same as the case.
Relying on the order of the FCT High Court above, Magistrate Umah Isa Dodo agreed that the impact of the order of the High Court is that he should stay the proceedings further to also raise the issue of jurisdiction and decide that his Court does not have the necessary jurisdiction to entertain. case.
A certified copy of the judgment dated January 23, 2023, was obtained by The Guardian on Wednesday.
Magistrates had earlier threatened to order Ugochinyere’s arrest if he did not appear before being served with pending proceedings at the High Court, which warranted the adjournment of the trial.
Efforts by JC Nwosu, counsel for Nwaneri to persuade the Magistrate Court to proceed with the hearing of the case were vehemently opposed by the lawyer for Ikenga.
They argued that the legitimate thing for the Magistrate Court to do is to obey the pendency of the matter in the High Court and stop the hearing itself.
Counsel for Ikenga said the case was provocative and a move by the Imo State Government to silence the opposition spokesperson who revealed the extensive manipulation of the voter roll.
The alleged manipulation included importing photos that clearly excluded eligible voters from the register so that they could be used as voters in the 2023 elections.