Chief Chukwuemeka Ugwunta Files Suit Challenging Suspension From Contesting Igweship 

KINGSLEY EBERE 

There are pointers that Chief Henry Chukwuemeka Ugwunta is not the Igwe of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State following his suit against the town union before the Enugu State High Court.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Chief Ugwunta filed the suit before the Court to challenge his suspension from contesting for the vacant position and as well denied ever claiming to be the Igwe of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno community.

In the suit with number A/9/2026 sighted by P.M.EXPRESS, those joined in the litigation included the former President General and General Secretary of the town union, Mr. Chidiebere Ugwuonye and Hilary Udeh respectively and the present President General of the town, Emmanuel Onyebuchi.

In his statement under Oath, Ugwunta stated as follows:

“WITNESS STATEMENT ON OATH OF THE PLAINTIFF 1. CHIEF HENRY CHUKWUEMEKA UGWUNTA, Christian, Male, Nigeria citizen of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno community in Ezeagu Local Government Area, Enugu State, do hereby make oath and states as follows:”

1. That I am the Plaintiff in this suit and by virtue of that fact, I am conversant with the facts and circumstances of this case.

2. That I am a member of the Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno community known as Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Town Development Union, and I’m entitled to all the rights, privileges, and benefits accruing to members under the Union’s Constitution.

3. The 1st and 2nd Defendants were the past President General and secretary of the Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Town Development Union respectively which is a registered community development union responsible for the administration and management of the affairs of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno community.

4. The 3rd Defendant is the current President General of the Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Town Development Union and is sued in his official capacities.

5. That I have been a financial and active member of the Aghaja Umumba Ndiuno Town Development Union for several years and has contributed to the growth and development of the community.

6. That I paid the sum of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) for aspirant form and screening to the Town Union, I was screened and successfully declared qualified to contest for traditional Ruler/Igwe of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Autonomous Community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State by the screening committee set up by the then town union and chaired by the 3rd defendant. However, peace accord was duly signed by all the successful screened aspirants.

7. That sometime in 22nd December, 2025, the 1st and 2nd Defendants purportedly placed me on an indefinite suspension from the Union thereby disqualifying me from contesting election as Igweship candidate of the Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Autonomous Community The said letter is hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon at the trial.

8. The suspension letter dated 22nd December, 2025, the 1st and 2nd Defendants alleged that the decision to suspend me was taken because of the magnitude of my alleged misconduct against the Constitution of the community, particularly in respect of the Igweship candidature, the Enugu State by-laws relating to the traditional rulership of communities, and the Peace Accord Agreement allegedly signed by me and other Igweship contestants.

In the said suspension letter, the 1st and 2nd Defendants alleged that I impersonated myself as the Igwe of the community in various forums which was false.

The 1st and 2nd Defendants also alleged that I threatened certain members of the community, directly and indirectly, for disagreeing with the said alleged impersonation which never happened.

The 1st and 2nd Defendants further alleged that I physically attacked a fellow Igweship contestant, which conduct they described as unbecoming of an Igweship contestant in the community which was false.

The 1st and 2nd Defendants also alleged that the above-stated offences and their corresponding sanctions were contained in three documents earlier issued to me, and on that basis, they purported to relieve the Plaintiff of the privileges of contesting for the Igweship stool.

9. The said allegations were unilaterally made and acted upon by the 1st and 2nd Defendants without affording me any opportunity of being heard, thereby breaching the Plaintiff’s constitutional right to fair hearing.

10. The said suspension was issued approximately five (5) days before the expiration of the tenure of the 1 and 2 defendants, which ended on 27th December, 2025 which election of the 3 defendant was conducted on 27 December, 2026

11. The suspension was self-serving, malicious, and carried out as a witch-hunt against me due to my aspirations for Igweship stool and active participation in the affairs of the Union.

12. The allegations leading to the suspension were personally made by the former President General and Secretary General je the 1 and 2 defendants.

13. By a letter dated 9th December, 2025 written by the 1 and 2nd Defendants and addressed to the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters, Enugu State, the 1″ and 26 Defendants made several allegations against me and sought disciplinary action against me.

The 1st defendants states as contained in the letter “the straw that broke the camel’s back was when he started threatening members of the community with bodily harm and even threatened the secretary general of the town development union as such too The said letter is hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon at the trial.

14. The 1st and 2nd defendants acted as accusers, witnesses, investigators, and judges in the matter that led to my suspension.

15. I was never given fair hearing, nor was I invited before any impartial disciplinary committee in accordance with the rule of natural justice, equity and good conscience.

16. The purported suspension was carried out in gross violation of the Constitution of the 1st Defendant and the principles of natural justice

17. That under the Constitution of Nigeria, no person/member can be suspended indefinitely without due process and fair hearing in any organization.

18. The Plaintiff states that the said suspension has tarnished his reputation, humiliated him before members of the community, outside the community as the letters of suspension were published on Whatsapp forums and platforms like pmexpressng.com, this has deprived him of his rights and privileges as a member as the defendants and their cohorts were seen sharing the suspension letters in different Whatsapp groups of the community and beyond.

19. The Plaintiff avers that the actions of the Defendants are ultra vires, unlawful, null, and void.

20. That on 29th December, 2025, I wrote a letter titled “Report of Misconduct by Former President-General and Secretary: Request for Immediate Retraction of Unlawful Indefinite Sopension. In the said letter, I formally requested the current Town Union President-General, the 3rd Defendant, to retract and nullify the purported indefinite suspension issued by the former President-General and Secretary against me. The said letter is hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon at the trial.

21. That despite my demand for redress, the Defendants have failed, refused, and/or neglected to withdraw the unlawful suspension. Rather, the 3rd Defendant on 04/02/2026 wrote to me stating that the current Town Union leadership under them has no power to review or retract an act done by the previous administration, which had already been acted upon by the Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters. The said letter is hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon at the trial.

22. That the Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters, only advised the defendants that all the allegations against me were all criminal in nature and advise them to take up the matter to the appropriate authority that has powers to handle them and nothing more. The said letter is hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon at the trial.

24.That the Executives of the Town Union are planning to conduct the election of Igweship in the face of injustice meted on the me as one of the aspirants

24. I shall rely on all relevant documents and communications relating to the purported suspension.

25. WHEREOF the Plaintiff claims against the Defendants jointly and severally as follows:

a. A Declaration that the purported indefinite suspension of the Plaintiff dated 22nd December, 2025 is unlawful, unconstitutional, null, and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

b. A Declaration that the actions of the Defendants in suspending the Plaintiff without fair hearing constitute a violation of the principles of natural justice.

c. An Order setting aside the purported indefinite suspension of the plaintiff.

d. An Order directing the Defendants to immediately reinstate the Plaintiff to all his rights, privileges, and benefits as a member of the Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Town Development Union

c. An Order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents, servants, or privies from further harassing, suspending, or interfering with the plaintiff’s rights as a member of the Union without due process.

An Order of Injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies, workmen, or any person however described from conducting any further election into the post of traditional Ruler/Igwe of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Autonomous Community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State during the pendency of this suit.

An Order to set aside any purported election into the same office of Igwe Stool of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Community during the pendency of this suit and which the plaintiff had been screened successfully and qualified to contest for traditional Ruler/Igwe of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno Autonomous Community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

h. The sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) as general damages for the unlawful suspension, humiliation, and injury to the Plaintiff’s reputation.

The sum of N3,000,000 (Three Million Naira) as cost of this action.

Any further order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

No date has been fixed for the hearing.