MICHAEL AKINOLA
The Chairman of Ladipo/Osoro traders union’s at Ladipo market in Lagos State, Ameachi Nneji, has dared a Lagos Judge as he went ahead to conduct an election against the Court judgement.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that Justice D.T. Olatokun of the Lagos State High Court restrained the Chairman, Mr. Nneji, from the market and maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit before the Court and adjourned the matter to 21st January, 2025, for hearing.
However, Mr. Nneji went ahead, arranged with some Police officers and held the election claiming that he was not under any obligation to obey the Court order.
The lawless Nneji reportedly conducted the election and handed over to Mr. Afam Oragwa, who is also a party to the matter before Justice D.T. Olatokun.
The Presiding Judge, Justice D.T. Olatokun, had restrained the Chairman, Mr. Nneji and the Electroal Committee Chairman, Oragwa and registered trustees of Lagos/Osoro traders union from conducting election pending the determination of the matter before the Court.
The suit is between the claimants :Monday Nkwor, Isiugo Chinazor Pascal, Charles Ogueli and Chigaeme Njoku versus Ameachi Nneji, Afam Oragwa and registered trustees Ladipo/Osoro traders union.
The enrollment order dated 3rd December, 2024 by Justice Olatokun stated:
“That parties maintain status quo pending the hearing of the application for interlocutory injunction.
Return date shall be 21st January, 2025, for hearing of the application for interlocutory injunction.”
The market was thrown into crisis by Mr. Nneji following their emergence as the executives of the union. Mr. Nneji and his cohorts swifly suspended paying the funds generated fron and for the union into the union’s account instead fraudulently channeled the funds almost N20,000,000.00 to their private accounts. And he currently has converted same for building his house at ljedodo town, Lagos.
Due to Mr. Amechi Nneji’s highhandedness and in a ploy to cover up his misdeed of “siphoning the union’s fund throughout the period of his maladministration, which is since March, 2019, he surreptitiously picked a candidate, one of his cohorts, in total disregard to the terms of the union’s constitution. To the greatest surprise of all, he singichandedly disqualified one Chief Monday Nkwo, and worse still as against the will of the majority members of same union, utterly superimposed his protégé, Oragwa, as the only qualified contestant.
The action has thrown the market union into further crisis. The union has been to the Police before the Lagos State High Court, which gave the restraining order that Nneji has disobeyed.
Meanwhile, Nneji is now facing contempt of Court and may likely be committed to prison as Counsel to his opponent has already filed Form 48 and 49 for committal for his alleged conduct.