There is panic in the camp of the Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa over the redeployment of a Federal High Court judge, in the Abuja Division, Justice Okon Abang to the Federal High Court, Asaba Division, the capital of the state.
It was gathered that Okowa has ordered for the character assassination of Justice Abang in order for him to be withdrawn from the state with immediate effect over fear that he (Abang) would be used against his (Okowa’s) party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Acting the script of the governor, a group in the party, Delta State PDP Alliances For Good Governance DSPAGG said Abang is a stooge of the APC in the state sent to spy the party.
Chairman of the group, Mr. Fredrick Ikechukwu, made the hand writing of Okowa known when the group visited the sacked Delta Central Senator Chief Ighoyota Amori, at his residence at Mosogar, Ethiope West local government council, that the reconsideration of Abang’s posting to Delta was not necessary in order halt further derailment of the nation’s democracy.
According to him, “Delta State is a PDP State, with peace loving people and has never had problem with federal establishments. It is our genuine fear that should the posting of Justice Okon Abang stay; strange things will begin to happen in the area of justice dispensation”.
The group views the redeployment of Justice Abang from the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court as part of the deliberate plans of the APC to wrestle power from the PDP in Delta come 2019 elections.
“Nigerians are well aware of the hatchet jobs which Justice Abang did for the ruling APC while in the Abuja Division, and we are sure he will do no less especially as one of the dramatis personae in the PDP crisis and self-imposed National Deputy Chairman to Amodu Sheriff, who enjoys the friendship with Justice Okon Abang is from Delta State and have always procured controversial injunctions from Abang’s court.”
Ikechukwu noted the jubilation that greeted the posting of Abang to Delta State by APC and the faction of PDP led by the self-imposed Deputy National Chairman from the State is a clear indication to the expected patronage to the Federal High court judge who is renowned for giving judgments against the PDP.
Okowa through his musketeers begged the unstable Amori for the redeployment of Justice Abang to any of the APC controlled states, Ikechukwu stated that, “Nigerians can still recall vividly that this judge gave judgment against the PDP governor of Abia State that led to INEC re-issuing another Certificate of Return to a man who did not contest election and also issued an Order to INEC to recognize Senator Sheriff’s candidates in Edo and Ondo states.”
He stated further that the PDP family in Delta rejects Justice Abang whom he alleged is a known agent of the APC who they have brought to the state to continue from where he stopped in the Abuja Division.
“We expect the judiciary to in the alternative retire Justice Okon Abang instead of posting him to Delta State where he is expected to inflict damages to the PDP family in the State. Very soon strange suits will be filed and already prepared injunctions and judgments will be delivered all to truncate democracy and destabilise PDP in Delta State.”
