Onitsha — Justice Alexious Okuma of Anambra State High Court sitting at Atani has again deferred judgment till July, 22, this year in the fundamental right application brought by the elected president of Ogbaru Main Market, Ndubuisi Ochiogu and other members of his executive against the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Obinna Ngonadi and the Attorney-General of the State.
Justice Okuma had earlier scheduled to deliver the judgment on July 1 but due to the fact that some necessary ingredients in law were lacking in the final addresses submitted by both parties, he now deferred the judgment to July 22.
Justice Okuma cited four authorities contained in supreme court decisions and directed both counsel to refer to the supreme court decisions and address the court more on the cases as they relate to the current issue at stake.
The cases, according to the judge, touch on the jurisdiction, adding that they should go and study them properly, acquaint themselves with the relevant provisions of the law and readdress the court, in connection with the cases and their own case to guide the court on the decision it would take.
He also directed both parties to file their addresses within seven days and return to court on that July 22 for the judgment.
Ochiogu had through his legal counsel, Ben Uzoegbu, SAN, prayed the court to quash his sack and replacement with a Caretaker Committee by the Commissioner without hearing his own side of the story when his opponents alleged that the January 25, 2022 election of the market union which elected him and his executive was flawed.
Uzuegbu wondered why the state government could rely on such allegations made by his defeated opponent to not only dissolve the democratically elected executive but to appoint the defeated opponent, David Obidike as the head of the newly appointed caretaker committee.
Credit : THE VANGUARD.
