Traditional Ruler of Obingwu, Eze Cletus Ilomunanya has advised the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha to obey the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation that he should be reinstated as chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers based on the Appeal Court Judgment.
Ilomunanya , who said the judgment had declared that his removal as Eze Imo was unlawful, added that the governor’s aggression towards him and the alleged threat to banish him was misconceived as the issue borders on constitutionalism and not a personal matter.
This was just as the embattled monarch said the allegation by the state governor that he was dethroned as the Obi of Obingwu because he had ordered the beating of some imaginary women was false.
A statement by the monarch’s media aide, Kennedy Ewuama read: “The attention of Obi of Obinugwu and chairman, Imo State and South East Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, has been drawn to several media publications of Wednesday, March 15.
“In the said publications, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha was copiously quoted as saying he will not obey the directive of the Federal Government, to reinstate Eze C.I. Ilomuanya, as chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers in line with the Court of Appeal judgment of July 5, 2013.
Eze Ilomuanya advised the governor to do the needful by complying with several court judgments and the directive of the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation.
Ewuama pointed out that the Appeal court was clear in its judgment of July 5, 2013 wherein it granted an order of injunction restraining the state Government.
That the governor threatened to banish and arrest Eze Ilomuanya as well as insisted that he removed him as chairman because he was not attending meetings of the council were false.”
The statement further said that the issue at stake borders on rule of law and constitutionalism which obviously the governor is very averse to . The allegation by the governor that he purportedly removed Eze Ilomuanya as Chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers because he was not attending meetings was false and in order to defend his unlawful action forgot that he unlawfully dissolved the Council and removed Eze Ilomuanya as Chairman, in his maiden broadcast as Governor of Imo State on June 6, 2011”
Ewuama pointed out that the Appeal court was clear in its judgment of July 5, 2013 wherein it granted the an order of injunction restraining the state Government. “ Pages 3 and 23 of the Court of Appeal judgment of Friday, July 5, 2013 wherein, the court granted the following restraining Order…”An Order of injunction restraining the Defendants by themselves, their servants, agents or howsoever from truncating the tenure of office of the Claimant (Eze Ilomuanya) as a member of and Chairman of the Imo State Council of Ndi Eze until the lawful expiration of the said tenure. While this unambiguous court directive was subsisting, the governor unlawfully purported to dethrone Eze Ilomuanya on June 6, 2014 via a radio announcement. This was even as the Supreme Court equally threw away his appeal on Feburary, 2015”.
However, Eze Ilomuanya nevertheless, advices the governor to do the needful by complying with several court judgments and the directive of the Federal Government through the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation.
Source – The Sun
