A lawyer, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, has petitioned Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), about the alleged unlawful demolition of an ultramodern paint business in Enugu State by party leader Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye.
At a petition for Legacy Paints Limited that was signed by Jerome Mukang, a lawyer in his business, Ume also copied Sen. Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate.
He said that the destruction was done while a lawsuit over the contested piece of land was still pending.
The senior attorney encouraged the two leaders to look into Kennedy-Ohanenye, who was also the sole female candidate in the party's primary, in a petition dated December 23, 2022.
He said that Kennedy-Ohanenye was behind the destruction of the chemical factory, which had over 70 employees and was located at Plot M4 Cattle Lairage, Emene, Enugu State.
The attorney described how Kennedy-Ohanenye reportedly utilised Mazi Ezinwa, the APC youth leader, and other youth wing members to demolish the working paint factory premises while cases about the land issue were ongoing in various courts.
The petition reads in part: “It is on record that in 2013, our client, Legacy Paints Limited, was granted a Certificate of Occupancy over a piece of land by the Enugu State Government to construct its ultra-modern chemical industry in line with the Federal Government policy to boost the country’s industrial sector.
“The factory (with over 70 employees in its workforce) has been in operation since then until yesterday December 22, 2022.
“Curiously the giant manufacturing industry premises were pulled down yesterday by your party’s erstwhile 2022 presidential aspirant (Barr. Uju Ken Ohanenye) with bulldozers and guided by the APC youths led by Mazi Ezinwa A.A, Enugu state chapter, who in their thousands were armed to the teeth protecting the bulldozers while the factory was going down the drain.
“It is disheartening to know that your erstwhile presidential aspirant Barr. Uju Ken Ohanenye, a lawyer could take this step when she is fully aware that matters relating to the dispute over this land are pending in the following courts:
“They are Court of Appeal sitting at Enugu in appeal No: CA/E/90/2021 between Dezern Nigeria Ltd and Kenju Investment Ltd & 2 ors; High Court sitting in Enugu in suit No: E/881/2021 between Dezern Nigeria Ltd & anor V Kenju Investment Ltd; suit No: E/3A/2021 between Dezern Nig Ltd V Uju Ken Ohanenye; suit No: E/52M/202/ between Legacy Paints Ltd V Uju Ken Ohanenye and in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in suit No: FCT/HC/CV/2389/2021 between Dezern Nig Ltd V Uju Ken Ohanenye & Ors.
“It is also on record that this matter has been also before the Nigerian Police and the State Security Service (SSS).
“Can a presidential aspirant who is a party to a matter in court now turn around to use your youth wing to oppress the people the party is supposedly coming to govern?
“By the illegal demolition carried out by your presidential aspirant, the factory’s 70 employees workforce are now jobless. Is this part of the party’s policy? Please investigate.”