By Citizen Reporter, Owerri
Not just up to 24hrs of the breaking news of a compromised leaked Judgment of the Supreme Court(as published on Saharareporters.com) involving some prominent controversial Judges(Justice Galadinm, Justice Tanko, etc) , Another surprise development and Judicial Scheme Involving same Judicial Maradona’s this afternoon emerged from the Supreme Court today, where the Chief Justice of Nigeria in a surprise move secretly disbanded the Supreme Court Panel hearing the Imo Governorship Tussle Case at the Supreme (the panel was supposed to have rounded up the case next week after adopting the written addresses of the contending parties).The Imo governorship Case currently at the supreme Court it will be recalled was as a result of the Ruling of the Court of Appeal in Owerri, join Former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim in the Appeal filled by Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume of A.C.N ,a decision which did not go down well with Gov. Rochas Okorocha hence his Appeal to the Supreme Court to strike off Ohakim name from the Case.
The panel which was this afternoon disbanded by the CJN was led by strong willed Justice Onnoghen.
A new panel has been handpicked and in a letter signed by the Supreme Court Registrar has been notified that they will preside over the Case come Tuesday,4th June,2013
The surprise thing about the new Panel is that there was no basis for the this sudden action and the new panel is filled with corrupt and rouge judges led by the controversial Justice Galadinma, Justice Tanko, etc who are at the center of the latest controversy over the leaked compromised judgment on the Okadigbo v Igbeke Senatorial Tussle which was exposed by Saharareporters Yesterday.
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BELOW IS THE PETITION TO THE CJN ON THE MATTER.
30th April, 2013
The Chief Justice of Nigeria
Supreme Court
Abuja
URGENT
IMO GOVERNORSHIP CASE: BETWEEN A COMPROMISE PANEL AND GOV. OKOROCHA’S PANEL OF JUSTICES…A step towards judicial robbery
We wish to express our strong reservations with the ongoing surprise plan to disband the Panel of Justices handling the Appeal brought by Governor Rochas Okorocha challenging the joining of Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim to an appeal brought by the Imo state governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 elections, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, and his party challenging the conduct of the supplementary election that brought Okorocha to power.
From all intents and purposes, the agitation against the serving Panel which was initiated and funded by Okorocha’s proxies is not in the least a protest against injustice, but a calculated move to politically intimidate the judiciary and compromise the administration of justice.
We therefore call on your office to stop forthwith any action that may jeopardize or protract the substantive case which exactly is Okorocha’s target.
Without a single substantive ground to Okorocha’s claims against the serving Panel, the move by your office to set up a compromise Panel at the governor’s pleasure, is the perfect endorsement of Okorocha’s opening gambit in furtherance of the plot to diminish the integrity of the Supreme Court and unduly stretch the adjudication of the substantive Imo Governorship case.
This, to say the least, will put a dent on the ongoing judicial reform.
The new panel which Okorocha has been boasting that the Supreme Court has already penciled down is evidently peopled by Justices of the Supreme Court loyal to the Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha and carefully handpicked to do his hatchet job.
Beside undermining other parties to the appeal, the choice of Justices in the new Panel is an insult to the sensibilities of the Nigerian public and especially, observers of judicial proceedings in the country. Okorocha could not have picked a better team himself to handle his case!
Unlike Okorocha’s agitation that did not point to a single substantive reason for seeking disbandment of the previous Panel, we wish to draw your attention to the compelling sign of bias in the new Panel as personified by the lead Justice of the Panel, Justice Muhammad Muntaka Coomasie, who is a Long time/Close Family Friend and confidant of Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Recall that Justice Coomasie was the special guest at the wedding of Okorocha’s daughter. We could all recall his dancing and celebration at the event which was covered and aired on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the African Independent Television (AIT). We make bold to say that we have him on tape and the CJN can also independently request the tape from NTA or AIT or we can supply it so that you see where the judge nearly ended up been a ‘protocol officer’ at the event which is an abundant indication of his closeness with Governor Rochas Okorocha.
So what type of panel would this be when Coomasie would be seating on the appeal with other allies of Okorocha(Hon.Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad JSC, Hon.Justice Suleiman Galadinma JSC etc)?
As there is still no ground of indictment or blemish against the previous panel whose only crime may apparently be their unshakeable resolve to dispense justice without extraneous influence, having rebuffed several advances.
Okorocha’s frustration as a result of his inability to compromise the previous Panel should not be visited on the rule of law and justice delivery.
The CJN must halt with immediate effect this move to re-introduce the Salami judicial system to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Much as this move could blotch efforts at overhauling the Nigerian Judiciary, it may not entirely eliminate the fact that the CJN has recorded landmark achievements in her effort to reform the Nigerian judicial system, and this is commendable.
Hence, actions and decisions that could demean, rather than consolidate the gains of the judicial reforms should be jettisoned.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Okorocha Panel of Justices for his job are Hon. Justice Muhammad Muntaka Coomasie JSC, who was literally a ‘co-host’ at the wedding ceremony of Okorocha’s daughter in Owerri about six months ago; Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad JSC; Hon. Justice Suleiman Galadima.
They are to seat on Tuesday 4th June,2013 at the resumed hearing of the case of Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha vs.Peoples Democratic Party and 4 other (sc .445/2012),Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha vs.Chief Godson Ohakim and 4 others (sc.446),and All Progressive Grand Alliance vs. Peoples Democratic Party and 4 others.
With this new Panel, Okorocha evidently becomes not just an Appellant, but also the Jury and Judge in his own case. To say the least, the governor would be getting justice at his own terms with the tacit support of elements in the office of the CJN.
It is therefore the responsibility of the CJN to choose between setting up a Panel at the ‘pleasure’ of Governor Rochas Okorocha or ensuring that Justice is served to all concerned, and seen as having been served. We must reclaim our judiciary from the mercantile antics of politicians and a few unscrupulous law officers. A word should be enough for the wise!
As case comes up for hearing on Tuesday 4th of June 2013, the Nigeria People and lovers of rule of law shall be watching to see if the Supreme Court will defend the judicial process by distancing this sacred institution from the Okorocha’s naked dance of desperation by not tampering with the original Panel Hearing the Imo Governorship Case.
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Signed:
Barr (Hon) Adebalogun Sai
National Coordinator: Lawyers in Defense of Democracy (LIDD)
Country Rep: Leadership Watch International (LEWIN)
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