A lawyer, Mr Obiezu Nwachukwu, of Dynamic Option Chambers, Suite F37, Melita Plaza, Area 11, Abuja, has filed a suit in the Enugu State High Court, against SEFORP2023 Multipurpose cooperative society limited for breaching rules and regulations guiding the firm.
Others in the originating summon marked suit No. E/727/2020 are commissioner of Human Capital Development and Poverty Reduction Enugu state, the Directorate of Cooperative Societies Enugu state and Rev. Okechukwu Obioha of No 28 Nanka Street, New Heaven Enugu State.
The plaintiff had alleged that the defendants were all engaging in the participation of political activities, a situation he said was contrary to the provision of the law regulating cooperative societies in the state.
The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether it was legal going by the combined provisions and proper interpretation of sections 2(1A and B), 5(1), 6(1A), 11(2) and 57 of the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act.
He is asking the court to determine going by the provisions of section 3(1) of the bye-laws of the third defendant, if the third defendant can lawfully engage in political activities, with respect to the declaration of Southeast presidency in 2023, as being and published via several media by the third defendant.
Nwachukwu is also asking the court to determine whether the engagement and participation in political activities by the third defendant was not against the intents and purpose of the creation or registration of the third defendant as a cooperative society by the provision of the law.
According to him, whether by virtue of the registration of the third defendant as a cooperative society in Enugu, with the limited number of members as cooperative society in its registration form, the third defendant has the legal capacity or can lawfully engage, undertake or organize political rallies.
He is praying the court to determine whether by the provision of the law regulating the society, it can organize a political conference for the southeast presidency in 2023 for the benefit of all the southeast indigenes.
He is also praying the court to determine whether by the engagement of political activities of the third defendant, contrary to cooperative societies act and the bye-laws, the first and second defendants were not empowered to cancel the registration of the third defendant as a cooperative society.
He is also praying that, having registered the third defendant as a cooperative society, under the Nigerian cooperative society’s act, if the fourth defendant can lawfully use the registered name, in any form for any political purposes.
Meanwhile, the lawyer had sought for a declaration of the order of the court that the conducts of the third and fourth defendants were fraudulent using the third defendant and engaging it in political activities as it affects and relates to the presidency of the Federal Republic.
He also sought for an order to declare that the interest of the southeast 2023 which the third and fourth defendants were fighting for was in contravention of the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act under which the third defendant was registered by the first and second defendants and by the bye-laws
He is also calling for an order to declare the activities of the third and fourth defendants as null and void and of no effect of whatsoever and a declaration that by virtue of the registration of third defendant as a cooperative society, the third defendant has no powers or legal standing to meddle into politics.
He is also praying for an order of the court to declare that the third defendant was only limited to advocate for the welfare of its members alone, and has no legal capacity to advocate for the southeast presidency in 2023 for all the indigenes of the southeast states of Nigeria.
He is also praying for an order that by the virtue of the registration of the third defendant and by its bye-laws, the entire indigenes of southeast region were not members of the third defendant and that the third defendant as a cooperative society has no legal capacity, to convene, invite, organize in any form political meetings.
Nwachukwu is also praying for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the third defendant or its agent, from participating in any form or manner, in any political activities, whatsoever, either in Enugu or Nigeria as a whole, for the southeast presidency in 2023.
He is also praying for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the third defendant or its agent from convening any political meetings or any meetings whatsoever for the discussion or deliberations as it affects the southeast indigenes and the southeast presidency in 2023.
He is also praying for an order of the court to declare that all meetings, conferences, decisions, communiqués, reached or taken by virtue of meetings convened by the third defendant who is registered in respect to southeast 2023 are illegal, unconstitutional.
Also with an order nullifying and invalidating every steps taken, decisions reached, by virtue of any meetings, conferences, or seminars convened by the third with respect to southeast presidency in 2023.
He is also praying for an order of injunction restraining the fourth defendant or its agent from using the acronym SEFORP2023, or the name South East for President 2023, for the purposes of projecting the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023 for the Southeast of Nigeria.
He is also praying for an order of the court directing the first and second defendants to deregister or cancel the registration of the third defendant as a cooperative society, under the Nigerian Cooperative Societies Act and for such further order the court may deem necessary.
