A criminal summons issued by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo State, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, on Thursday has been suspended by an Abuja High Court.
The opposition’s spokesperson and PDP candidate for the House of Representatives in the general election of 2023 is Ugochinyere.
The criminal summons was issued by Mr. Chinasa Nwaneri, the Governor of Imo State’s Personal Assistant on Special Duties, but Justice Hassan of the FCT Federal High Court granted a restraining order and a stay of the magistrate court’s proceedings pending the hearing of Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere’s application for judicial review.
Justice Hassan affirmed that the “prayer seeking leave to Mr. Ugochinyere to seek certain orders by way of an order for certiorari including an order of prohibition was a normal judicial procedure,” according to court documents seen.
The judge alleged: “This Court hereby directs against the respondents by themselves or acting jointly or through agents, prohibiting them from conducting any hearing or further proceedings against the Applicant in the matter of Nze Chinasa Nwaneri vs Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu in case no. WZ6/CR/30/2022.”
The Court also prohibited the respondent from being the target of criminal prosecutions either directly or indirectly in the case.
In an interview with Ugochinyere regarding the court’s decision, he asserted that he was being tried for exposing the fraudulent voter registration in Imo State.
“There have been attempts to silence me since I made revelations about the voter register compromise popularly referred to as ‘Omuma Magic’ wherein it was discovered that millions of fake registrations took place in at least 18 states of the federation”, adding he would seek damages for spitefully dragging his name.
“I will seek for an award of the sum of N50, 000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) only against the Respondents jointly and severally as general damages for the unlawful prosecution, humiliation and embarrassment caused me and my business.”
