The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Sunday told the two embattled Supreme Court judges, John Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta to leave Rotimi Amaechi and Ogbonnaya Onu out of their current ordeal.
The two judges had in their separate letters to the Chief of Nigeria (CJN) alleged that
Onu, minister of science and technology and Amaechi, transport minister, approached them to pervert justices in some election appeal cases.
However, speaking on the matter, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Enugu State Chapter, Mrs Kate Ofor said, “I am outraged that instead of defending themselves, the Honourable Justices John Okoro and Slyvester Ngwuta are looking for people to drag along with them, hence the resort to afterthought. They should forthwith leave Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Rotimi Amechi alone.”
On the claim by the judges that they informed the CJN over the alleged attempt to influence their judgement, Mrs. Ofor said, “the Honourable Justices going by the powers conferred on them by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, are aware that they have the power to call on the police or even their orderly to arrest anybody who is attempting to pervert the course of justice.
“It is not enough to whisper to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who luckily has not owned up to such frivolous allegation.
“It is painful that corruption has penetrated the temple of justice, where Justice is for sale, to the extent that humongous amount in different currencies were found in the house of the justices like Bureau De Change dealers. This is why President Buhari lamented that if Nigerians did not kill corruption, corruption would kill Nigerians.”
Also speaking on the varrying opinion of the NJC and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) over the suspension of the Justices, Mrs. Ofor retorted, “I am happy that the NBA has woken up; the National Judicial Council and indeed the Chief of Justice of Nigeria should be more patriotic to joining this strident war against corruption.
“If Nigerians do not join the fight and show enough commitment, then we are in soup. The Constitution never envisaged this level of unbridled corruption penetrating the temple of Justice.
“In the past, there were instances where the NJC used kid gloves administratively in dealing with malcontent judges. The result is what we have in hand today.
“As His Lordship, The Honourable Justice Samson O. Uwaifo (rtd) proclaimed, ‘A corrupt judge is more harmful to the society than a man who runs amok with a dagger in his hand in a crowded street. He can be restrained physically of course, but a corrupt judge deliberately destroys the moral foundation of the society.’”
“In the past we have had forthright Judges like late Justice Anthony Aniagolu, who voluntarily declined to the position of Chief Justice of Nigeria after a military coup because he was 3rd in the hierarchy. He also declined a tribunal case because his legal son, Tony Mogboh (SAN) was the lawyer to the defendant.
“Finally, let trial commence as all we need is enough evidence, not name calling. Therefore, leave Onu and Amechi alone”,
Ofor further stated.
