By Favour Goodness
Chief Judge of Anambra state, Justice M. O. Anyachebelu has fixed October 14, to deliver judgment on a suit brought by suspended traditional ruler of Nawfia, Chijioke Nwankwo challenging his suspension for one year from his throne by Anambra state governor, Chief Willie Obiano for travelling out of the state without authorisation by the state government.
Loading ...Justice Anyachebelu fixed the judgment date yesterday after entertaining both written and oral submissions from counsels in the suit filed by the suspended Igwe Nwankwo against the Anambra state government and the state traditional rulers council.
Nwankwo was one of the 13 traditional rulers in the state who were suspended from their throne for one year by the state government for travelling with the state- born oil magnate and philanthropist, Prince Arthur Eze to visit President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Governor Obiano had interpreted the trip as a plot against his government.
But Nwankwo approached the Court presided by the state Chief Judge through his lawyer, Mr. Nnaemeka Ejiofor, urging the Court to hold that action of the state government was an infringement on his fundamental human right to freedom of movement as guaranteed under the Nigerian constitution 1999(as amended) as well as African Charter on Human Rights.
“We urge the Court to interrogate whether the Anambra state government, and, the Governor have the right under our laws, and, African Charter on Human Rights to restrict the freedom of movement any citizen of this state”, Ejiofor urged the Court.
The one year suspension according to Ejiofor would elapse on August 11, 2021.
In a counter application on behalf of the Anambra state government, a Principal state counsel from the office of the state Attorney General, Mr. I. J. Oguejiofor had urged the Court to hold that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, and, to strike it out accordingly.
