Appeal Court affirms expulsion of Okereke from IMAN membership

Tayo Oladipupo

The Board of Trustees of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) has said that the expulsion of Emmanuel Osita Okereke has been affirmed by Appeal Court sitting in Abuja in its recent ruling in February.

In a press statement signed by Chief Gilbert E Obi, Chairman BOT, of the association and made available to our correspondent, the group said it wished to inform the general public about the development.

The press release stated further that Okereke was expelled in 2015 over allegations of forgery and other criminal activities but added that he obtained a judgement in a High Court to upturn his expulsion, a judgement which was further contested by the association in Appeal Court and was confirmed that his expulsion stands.

According to the judgement as stated by Ini, Okereke ceased to be a member of the BOT of the association as well as member of the National Task Force (NATFORCE).

“The Board of Trustees  of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) wish to inform  the general  public  that Chief Emmanuel  Osita Okereke who was expelled  from IMAN in December  2015 has further been confirmed  by the Appeal Court Abuja Judicial  Division.

“The Court of Appeal , Abuja Division delivered  the landmark  judgment to affirm that  Emmanuel  Osita  Okereke was duly expelled  from  the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN)  and National  Task Force (NATFORCE) on 11th February 2019.

“It could be recalled that the Board of Trustees  of the  Importers  Association of Nigeria (IMAN)  had in December  2015 expelled  Chief Emmanuel  Osita  Okereke from the association  due to several illegal  activities  by him, including  going to the Corporate  Affairs  Commission (CAC)  to forge another certificate  of IMAN  without  the IMAN  Board of Trustees  approval.

“Due to his conduct,  which was regarded as a criminal  offence and forgery and he refused to  show  any remorse  for his fraudulent  acts,  the IMAN , BOT had to  expel  him in 2015.

“Chief Emmanuel Okereke with his criminal intent however took the association to the Abuja High Court and obtained a kangaroo judgement in his favour on January 23rd 2017.

“On our part, the Board of Trustees of IMAN feeling dissatisfied with the High Court judgement appealed the case at the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja.

“The IMAN BOT filed an   appeal against  the decision  of the Abuja High Court of the Federal Capital  Territory  in  Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/710/2016, between  the registered Trustees of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Chief  Gilbert Bravo  Obi, Chief  Obong  Patrick  Udoh, Alhaji  ( Dr) Bature  Aldullaziz (MON) Alhaji  Aliyu Ahmed  Yar’dua and Hon. Kingsley  Chikezie  as appellants. While Chief Emmanuel Okereke was listed as the respondent.

“In the IMAN appeal at the Appeal Court, Abuja Division, the Court upheld and affirmed the expulsion of Chief Emmanuel Osita Okereke from IMAN and NATFORCE.

The judgement was delivered with a case number CA/A/177/2017 February 11th 2019.

“With this landmark judgement, Chief Emmanuel Osita Okereke stands expelled from IMAN and NATFORCE.”

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