Court Restrains Imo, IGP From Interfering In Lawmaker’s Political Activities

Justice Kayode Agunioyen of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, has granted an interim injunction restraining the Imo State government, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from interfering with the civic and political activities of a member of the House of Representatives, Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere.

The lawmaker represents Ideato North and South Federal Constituency at the national Assembly.
The court also restrained the chairmen of Ideato North and Ideato South local government areas from harassing and intimidating his supporters, sealing, blocking or stopping political rallies, meetings or processions by lawmaker and his supporters.

The order, granted by court follows an application by Hon Ugochinyere against the Inspector-General of Police, the State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Governor of Imo State, Imo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (IMSAA), the Chairmen of Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government Areas, the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, and the Director of the State Security Service, Imo State Command, among others.

The court, specifically, restrained the defendants, their agents, officers, staff or anyone acting through them from stopping, barring, denying access to, sealing off or preventing the claimant and his supporters from accessing or using venues for peaceful rallies, processions, meetings, programmes, campaigns and other lawful civic activities within Ideato Federal Constituency and Imo State.

The court also restrained the defendants from destroying, dismantling, defacing, cutting down, removing or demolishing billboards and signage installed by the lawmaker across Ideato North and South Federal Constituency or elsewhere in Imo State, and from facilitating or providing security cover for such acts.

The court also restrained the defendants from breaching or violating the claimant’s rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and movement, including his right to erect or install lawful signage and billboards for the purpose of showcasing projects attracted to his constituency, communicating civic messages, mobilising constituents, promoting security awareness and carrying out other legitimate civic activities.

The development followed concerns over attempts to interfere with venues and activities associated with the lawmaker and his supporters, including meetings, campaigns and rallies of the Action Peoples Party (APP).

The court, in granting the interim reliefs, barred the affected government and security authorities from taking steps that could frustrate the claimant’s constitutionally protected civic and political activities pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion.

The court also rejected objections raised by the Imo State Government against the application for the injunction, allowing the protective orders to remain in place. The matter has been adjourned to November for further hearing.