Nnewi people tackle billionaire, say he’s an illiterate not qualified for PG, drag him to court

Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union (UNCDU) has kicked against moves by billionaire businessman and owner of Organiser West Africa Ltd., Chief Innocent Okoli, to impose himself for a second time as President general (PG) of the Community, dragging him to court.

This was contained in a suit filed at the High Court of Anambra State of Nigeria in the Nnewi Judicial Division, holden at Nnewi, with suit no: HN/153/2025, and dated 9th May 2025.

The suit was filed by Hon. Ikenna Obidiegwu of Nnabuenyi Chambers, counsel to the plaintiffs, Prince Nonso Obi, Ebuka Okeke and Emeka Anosike.

The defendants are:

1. The Registered Trustee of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union,
2. Chief Innocent Okoli,
3. Nduka Nwachukwu and,
4. Hon. Eloka Ike, for themselves and on behalf of all the administrative ward chairmen Uruagu Nnewi.

In the originating summons, the defendants were ordered to enter an appearance for the determination of the following questions:

• Whether in view of the extant provision of the constitution of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union, the defendants can validly hold elections into the executive committee of the Union on the 10th of May 2025.
• Whether in view of the extant provision of the constitution of UNCDU, Chief Okoli is qualified to run for the office of the President General Uruagu Community without possessing the minimum requirement of West African School Certificate (WAEC) or its equivalent.

Recall that News Band reported that the billionaire businessman was indicted in the crisis that hit Uruagu, Nnewi, over the PG election.

Okoli, not had enough of Uruagu people, unilaterally fixed an election for May 10, 2025.

The move, according to Uruagu people, who spoke to Diaspora Digital Media (DDM), was to perpetuate himself in office, after an abysmal first tenure.

Read full details of the story below:

Billionaire businessman indicted as crisis hits Nnewi over
Uruagu PG election, BoT members protest, resign

Consequently, some Board of Trustees (BoT) members protested and, at least, one of them has resigned.

Reacting to the efforts of “Chief Organiser”, the plaintiffs sought redress in a court of law.

In the given suit, the applicants are seeking the following reliefs against the defendants:

1. A declaration that the election fixed for 10th day of May 2025 by the defendants contravenes the express provision of the constitution of Uruagu Community Development Union and therefore null and void.
2. A DECLARATION that the 2nd defendant is not qualified to contest for the position of President General Uruagu Community Development Union, since he does not possess a West African School Certificate or its equivalent.
3. An order restraining the defendants, the agents, and/or privies from conducting election into the executive committee of Uruagu Community Development Union on the 10th day of May 2025, saying it is a violation of the constitution of the union.
4. A court order nullifying the election if held on 10th day of May 2025 for being a nullity and a breach of the constitution of Uruagu Community Development Union.
5. An order restraining the 1st defendant from accepting the 2nd defendant as a candidate to contest the said election into the executive committee of Uruagu Community Development Union whenever it is held for being not qualified to assume the position.

In the affidavit in support of the originating summons, the applicant, Prince Obi, swore and state, amidst other things, as follows:

1. That the 2nd defendant was the past president general of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union whose tenure and that of his executive committee ended on 12th April, 2025.
2. That the 3rd defendant and 4th defendant are Chairman and Secretary of the administrative ward chairmen of Uruagu Nnewi Community which body has the duty to conduct election to constitute electors for the purpose of election into the executive committee of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union.
3. That the 2nd defendant does not possess a West African school Certificate but, rather, wangled his way into position and is trying to do same again this time around.
4. That the 2nd defendant is not qualified to contest the election in the first place and does not also qualify to contest the present election.
5. That despite the fact that the 2nd defendant is not qualified to contest the election, the 1st defendant is shielding his imperfection and ready to allow him to contest the upcoming election.

19. That unless they are restrained by the court, Nduka Nwachukwu and Eloka Ike will present Organiser as a candidate in the election contrary to the constitution of Uruagu Nnewi.

In their written address, the applicants asked the court to declare that the election fixed for May 10, 2025, by the defendants contravenes the express provision of the constitution of Uruagu Community Development Union and, therefore, null and void.

They also insisted that the defendant interested in the position of the President General does not possess the requisite qualification for the position.

They further accused Nwachukwu and Ike of “manipulation” and “acting illegally” by attempting to conduct election outside the provisions of the constitution.

Finally, the plaintiffs urged the court to disqualify the defendant, insisting that he is not qualified to contest the election into the office of the President General Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union without possessing the minimum of West African School Certificate or its equivalent.

What the constitution says

The constitution of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union state as follows:

• This constitution is supreme, and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and indigenes in the Uruagu Nnewi Community.
• The Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the government of the Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union, except in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.
• The supremacy of the constitution of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union is affirmed and anything done to the contrary becomes void.
• The same constitution imposes the duty of conducting election into the Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union on the Board of Trustees, that is to say the 1st defendant.
• The constitution makes provision for the election into the executive committee of the Union, providing that there shall be an electoral college for the election of members of the executive committee.
• The electoral college shall consist of ten persons elected by each of the wards in Uruagu Nnewi, referred to as the “Electors”.
• Electors shall be elected by each of the wards for the purposes of any election.
• Each ward shall submit a list of its electors in writing to the Secretary General of the Union, one month before any election.
• The submission of the list of the electors shall be done by the Ward Chairman in consultation with the Ward’s Obi.
• The Secretary General of the Union shall give Electors at least two weeks’ notice of any prospective election in which they will be involved.

The plaintiffs argue

The plaintiffs argued as follows:

1. The affidavit evidence of the plaintiffs clearly indicates that there has never been any election in the wards which are supposed to be conducted by the 3rd and 4th defendants. This further nullifies any election that will be held in the absence of such exercise.)
2. The letter written announcing the election was only served on the members of Uruagu Community on the 30th day of April 2025 informing them that the election will be held on 10th May 2025. This shows a notice of only 10 days.
3. The said notice was signed by one Mr. Timothy Okeke, the Chairman, BoT UNCDU, whereas the constitution stipulated that the person to issue the notice is the secretary general of the union.
4. The said notice, therefore, suffered dual defect by manner of days and by manner of the person who issued it, hence, could not stand.
5. The constitution says that each ward shall submit the list of its electors in writing to the secretary general of the union one month before the election and the said submission shall be done by the ward chairman in consultation by the ward’s Obis, but in the instant situation no compliance with the section was done.
6. Having therefore failed to fulfill the above conditions one need not go further to conclude that any action taken pursuant to the election of May 10 or any other day is a nullity.

The plaintiffs, therefore, urged the court to resolve the issues in their favor and disqualify the candidate for election to the office of the President General, Vice President-General, or Secretary General, since has not been educated up to and possesses at least West African School Certificate or its equivalent.

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