The disputes surrounding the reimbursement of the N3 million nomination fees paid to candidates for local government chairmanships during the alleged local government elections on September 21, 2024, have caused tension to continue to rise among the All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter in Imo State.
The Imo APC, led by the state chairman, Dr. Macdonald Ebere, collected N3 million from each of the candidates for chairmanship as mandatory fees. This caused controversy in the state and was later agreed to be reimbursed to them and the other candidates in the interest of party unity, according to the state governor.
Evans Anozie, an Owerri Municipal APC chairmanship candidate, has petitioned an Owerri high court for relief, requesting N50 million in special, general, and exemplary damages.
Anozie, an Owerri native named Nchi Ise, claimed in his statement of claims made by his attorneys, led by Professor Francis Dike SAN, that he had paid a N3 million nomination fee, entitling him to run for the APC chairmanship. However, the contest was put on hold by the second defendant, Macdonald Ebere, who insisted that his nominee, the caretaker chairman, be the party’s only candidate.
Additionally, according to the plaintiff’s attorneys, the second defendant, Macdonald Ebere, vowed to deal with the plaintiff, and the plaintiff experienced a great deal of tension and recrimination as a result of the arbitrariness.
They asserted that the state governor had publicly stated in numerous fora that it was agreed that the plaintiff and other candidates would have their deposits back in the interest of party cohesion.
Due to the aforementioned arrangement, the plaintiff requested a refund and was given a check for N3 million that was drawn on the first defendant’s (Imo APC) UBA PLC account in the plaintiff’s favor. The check was signed by the second defendant and two other people, among others.
According to his attorneys, the plaintiff presented the check twice, on October 16 and 18, 2024, but it was returned unpaid. Before presenting the check, he was reassured upon inquiry that the first defendant’s account was not in red and that he had enough money.
According to the attorneys, the plaintiff was always surprised when his check was returned unpaid for reasons that were not related to him but rather to the defendants. In particular, the second defendant was accused of countermanding the check, but the nonpayment was not noted on the check.
According to the plaintiff’s attorneys, he has wasted time and effort as a businessman trying to get the first defendant to pay the N3 million that he is owed, while the second defendant has not responded to his claim and has said that payment will be postponed for as long as possible.
At the hearing, the plaintiff will argue that the second defendant’s conduct of impunity in causing a payment breach is entitled to exemplary damages. In such cases, the court would grant exemplary damages to an individual who acts with impunity and believes he would pay little to no damages.
