Revenue agent files committal proceeding against Aba South Mayor

By Steve Oko

A revenue Consultant and Managing Director of Chikotas Nigeria Limited Aba, Abia State, Elder Uchenna Ahuruonye, has filed committal proceeding against the Chairman of Aba South Local Government Area, Hon. Anyanwu Obilor over his alleged refusal to allow him collect revenue for the Council based on the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, he signed with the Council.

The suit is coming up tomorrow (Friday) before the Chief Judge of Abia State.

Meanwhile, the Consultant has called on the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, to call the Mayor to order over his alleged refusal to comply with a court judgment in his (Consultant’s) favour

He accused the Mayor of refusing to honour the judgement of High Court in suit number, A/101/2015, which had earlier ruled that he be allowed to collect revenue for the Council for one year as agreed with the previous administration.

He said he was being owed millions of Naira by the Council, and accused the Mayor of frustrating any his overtures for peaceful resolution of the impasse.

Elder Ahuruonye who alleged that the Mayor was using intimidation against his revenue agents sought the urgent intervention of the Governor.

Addressing newsmen in Umuahia, Ahuruonye said he had incurred a lot of economic loss as a result of the refusal of the Mayor to allow him operate as agreed with past administration.

He said:”I’m calling on our Governor, Dr Alex Otti, and the Attorney General of the State, who all believe in the Rule of Law; to call the Chairman of Aba South LGA to order. Let him obey the order of a court.

“It is very unfortunate to observe that Aba South Local Government, being an instrument of law, will be lured by its management due to greed, to sponsor unwarranted disobedience to the rule of law by frustrating the judgement order in suit number A/101/2015, knowing fully well that the Rule of Law is the backbone of any democratic society.

Ahuruonye argued that “disobedience to court judgement depicts political rascality, and administrative incompetence, which is not good for this administration.”

Responding , the Mayor denied having any negotiations or reaching any agreement with the Consultant, adding that the matter is still pending on appeal.

He also explained that he was not the one that engaged the Consultant, wondering why he would want to impose himself on the Council.

“I don’t have any dealing with him”, he said adding that he had reactivated the appeal against the judgment.

The Mayor accused the revenue consultant of attempts to arm-twist the Council through distorted narrative to whip up sentiments.

“These armtwisting of government with sentiments and emotions will not work. A judgement that has existed for over five to six years, so what has stopped him from executing it over the years?

“We are barely one year in office and the judgment has been about five years before we came into office”

that the matter was already before the court, and accused the Consultant of trying to circumvent things and operate against the instruction of the court.”