High Court Judgement Annulling Our Setting Up Is Garbage, Says Care-taker Committee Chairman, Orba Market International Market Association
The Chairman of the Care- taker Committee of Orba Modern Market Traders' Association, OMMATA, Emma Nandi, has described the court judgement which annuled his committee as "garbage."
The Chairman of the Care- taker Committee of Orba Modern Market Traders' Association, OMMATA, Emma Nandi, has described the court judgement which annuled his committee as "garbage."
The Enugu State High Court sitting at Obollo Afor, had faulted the dissolution of elected traders association by the state government which set up the care- taker committee, describing the action as not only illegal but unconstitutional, null and void.
The court presided over by Justice Comfort Chinyere Ani, sitting at Obollo Afor, in its judgement order, noted that the market is a private venture, duly registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, with an elected leadership of it's market traders association, hence it was not under the control and influence of the state government. It also,awarded N1 million damages against the government saying that it ignored it's earlier interim injunction restraining it from interfering in the affairs of the market owned by a private company.
The care- taker committee is yet to obey the judgement delivered by the High Court,
The court presided over by Justice Comfort Chinyere Ani.
The court also condemned the dissolution of the market traders association, as well as the replacement of the elected executive of the union with a care-taker committee by the state government, despite a valid court injunction barring it from carrying out the illegal takeover.
The court had okayed an interlocutory injunction restraining it or its representatives or assigns from either replacing it with a care- taker committee, interfering in the affairs of the leadership of OMMATA, noting that the government's action was illegal, null and void and of no effect, whatsoever.
According to the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the judgement in suit number OB/02/2025, Justice Ani, regretted that the state government dissolved the OMMATA leadership, despite an earlier injunction against such action in suit number OB/59/2024 made on December 10, 2024.
The restraining interlocutory order had barred the state government/ respondents by themselves, agents and privies or whosoever described from interfering in the collection, management and control of Limos Fund of Orba Modern Market Association or usurping the office, functions, and rights of the plaintiffs/ applicants as Line Reps of OMMATA pending the determination of the suit.
The plaintiffs included the Chairman of OMMATA, Messrs Brendan Ugwu, Osita Eze, Chima Ugwu, for themselves and on behalf of the executive and members of OMMATA, while the defendants included the Chairman of the Market Care- taker Committee, Emmanuel Nnadi, Eugene Ifeanyi Ozioko, Obinna Eze, Augustine Ezugwu, as well as those claiming to have been constituted as Care- taker Committee of OMAMATA.
The restraining interlocutory order had barred the state government/ respondents by themselves, agents and privies or whosoever described from interfering in the collection, management and control of Limos Fund of Orba Modern Market Association or usurping the office, functions, and rights of the plaintiffs/ applicants as Line Reps of OMMATA pending the determination of the suit.
The plaintiffs included the Chairman of OMMATA, Messrs Brendan Ugwu, Osita Eze, Chima Ugwu, for themselves and on behalf of the executive and members of OMMATA, while the defendants included the Chairman of the Market Care- taker Committee, Emmanuel Nnadi, Eugene Ifeanyi Ozioko, Obinna Eze, Augustine Ezugwu, as well as those claiming to have been constituted as Care- taker Committee of OMAMATA.
Reviewing the case, Justice Ani said, "This Court hereby adjudges as follows: It is hereby declared that the leadership of OMMATA remains with the elected Executives headed by by the first plaintiff as its chairman as emerged from the election of September 22, 2023, until the expiration of the four- year term of office.
"It is hereby declared that the defendants' alleged position of care-taker committee of OMMATA is unlawful, illegal and unconditional, in the affairs of the association and therefore, null and void.
"The defendants are hereby perpetually restrained by themselves, agents, privies or howsoever described from interfering with or interjecting in the collection, management and control of funds of OMMATA, or howsoever, usurping the offices/ functions and rights of the plaintiffs as the Executives of OMMATA in the guise of care-taker committee of the association. The sum of N1 million is awarded against the defendants jointly in favour of the plaintiffs jointly as damages."
However, reacting to the court judgement, the chairman of the care- taker committee, Mr Nnadi, described as a deliberate intent to embarrass and blackmail the Enugu State, which was not part of the court processes.
"It is hereby declared that the defendants' alleged position of care-taker committee of OMMATA is unlawful, illegal and unconditional, in the affairs of the association and therefore, null and void.
"The defendants are hereby perpetually restrained by themselves, agents, privies or howsoever described from interfering with or interjecting in the collection, management and control of funds of OMMATA, or howsoever, usurping the offices/ functions and rights of the plaintiffs as the Executives of OMMATA in the guise of care-taker committee of the association. The sum of N1 million is awarded against the defendants jointly in favour of the plaintiffs jointly as damages."
However, reacting to the court judgement, the chairman of the care- taker committee, Mr Nnadi, described as a deliberate intent to embarrass and blackmail the Enugu State, which was not part of the court processes.
He spoke in a post on a WhatsApp group of some of the OMATTA members, where he also, questioned the quality of the journalists who reported the court judgement, describing them as "cut and paste," which is the bane of the journalism profession.
His words, "I read the garbage.This is a deliberate intent to embarrass and blackmail government of Enugu State. Did anybody or group sue or join Enugu State government in the course of any litigation concerning the leadership crises of the market traders' association, in Orie Orba?
"What is actually happening there is not a contention on the management and administration of the market but a leadership of the traders' association which is still lingering in the courts.
"Enugu State government was never sued nor joined in the litigation. How then can anyone report a slam on the government which was either avoided or afraid of joining in the said litigation?
"Sincere or courageous sources of reportage is the bane of journalism in Nigeria and the e- rats copy and paste journalism. It's unfortunate."
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