Court Extends Tenure Of Chief Solomon Aguene As Ohanaeze Ndigbo President To Another 4 Years

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Peace may have finally returned in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State, following the resolution of the crisis, which arose over the annulment of 2017 elections conduct by the National body of  Ohanaeze Worldwide that led to protracted litigation in the State. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that through the consent judgment pronounced by the Lagos State High Court dated 12th April, 2022, Chief Solomon Ogbonna will now spend the next four years as the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State. 

In the suit filed in 2018 before the Ikeja High Court over the annulment of Ohanaeze Ndigbo election,  Lagos State, by a faction led by Chief Mike Chidedelu on behalf of his group against Chief Solomon Ogbonna’s faction, asking the Court to reinstate and recognized his faction, was finally resolved with terms of settlement as consent judgment before the Court. 

Part of the judgment include, apart from Chief Solomon Ogbonna, who was retained as the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, other Executive members elected with him were dissolved and fresh election was ordered for the vacant positions by the Court. 

The Court also ordered that the factions be merged and they were eligible to contest for the elective positions that were declared vacant for the conduct of the election as announced by the President, Chief Solomon Ogbonna. 

The Court directed that the Electoral Committee set up by Chief Solomon Ogbonna led by Chief Oliver Akubueze be retained and conduct election for both the Local Government and State Executives with the bylaws of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State.

This was confirmed by Chief Solomon Ogbonna, who expressed delight that peace has finally returned to Ohanaeze Ndigbo,  Lagos State, through his efforts to bring the Igbo together in the State. 

He explained that since he was elected as President, he has been going to Court and many factions came up but he was able to resolve and make peace that led to the consent judgment at  the Court. 

He stated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos State will be stronger now since all the factions have finally come together under one body led by him. He explained that election will be conducted later after they must have embarked on harmonization to accommodate everyone, which he will announce. 

On the purported impeachment, Chief Solomon Ogbonna stated that there was nothing like impeachment but noted that when he was conducting Ohanaeze General meeting, some miscreants led by Eze Uche Dimgba, who wanted crisis to remain in Ohanaeze, wanted to disrupt the meeting after he refused to give Dimgba the sum of N15m, which he was demanding from him.

He urged the Igbo to be law abiding and continue to identify and support the Lagos State Government and promised that he will continue to lead the Igbo in Lagos State with transparency and accountability. 

In the same vein, Dr. Femi Ferguson confirmed that the factions have merged and stated that the peace was achieved through the efforts made by Chief Solomon Ogbonna because of his honesty and sincerity, which led to the consent judgment. 

He explained that the judgment was binding and was happy that peace has returned to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State.

He enjoined all Igbo to support Chief Solomon Ogbonna, who he described as a good leader that really wants to move Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State to the next levels of achievement.