By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo been accused of leading a dangerous crusade on impunity and using the scarce paltry resources of Anambra State to finance and sponsor the subversion of judgement of the Supreme court on the age-old leadership crisis rocking the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
The leadership crisis which primarily borders on who is the authentic National Chairman of the party between Chief Edozie Njoku and Chief Victor Oye; and which of the National Working Committees is the authentic, has received several court judgements, including that of the Apex Court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
According to a Monday November 21, 2022 press statement from the Njoku-led National Working Committee of APGA, which was signed by the National Secretary, Muyideen Imam; Governor Soludo and Chief Oye has connived with some top police officers to arrest Chief Njoku on trumped up criminal charges to subvert implementation of the Supreme Court Judgement on the matter.
The NWC also accused the Governor and the Oye-led team of plotting to ridicule the integrity and image of the Nigeria’s Apex court by alleging that Chief Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga forged the amended Supreme Court Judgement on the matter, after Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili had (in her letter dated November 7, 2022) confirmed the said judgement to be true and made some more clarifications about the amended judgment of May 9, 2022.
The Njoku-led NWC further called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Chief Justice of the Federation to “put a stop to this brazen madness” by intervening on the alleged plot to subvert the implementation of the Apex Court’s judgement.
The statement reads in parts: “Gentlemen of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, Friends, Allies, Comrades, Country men and Women, Ladies and gentlemen,
‘Lend me your ears! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. For the evil that men do lives after them and their good deeds are often interred with their bones.’
“The last 24hours has been quite excruciating, intriguing and brain gnawing as we have kept vigil having gotten the wind that Chief Edozie Njoku, the National Chairman of APGA will be arraigned today at the FCT High Court 40 Bwari, Abuja which will be presided over by Hon. Justice M. A. Madugu, in criminal Charge No: CR/12/2022; with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) as the (plaintiff), while Chief Edozie Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga are the (Accused).
“We want it on record that Chief Edozie Njoku has not been properly served according to the dictates of the law. This is an indication of the plot to ensure Chief Njoku doesn’t get justice.
“We have it on good authority that the trumped up charges are menacingly and mendaciously being pressed despite the clarification in Hon. Justice Odili’s letter which refuted the Press Statement by Dr. Festus Akande (Director of Press and Media of the Supreme Court) and the letter from Mrs Hajo Sarki Bello (Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Police denying the amendment of May 9, 2022 in Suit No: SC/CV/687/2021.
“We, the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) wish to inform the general public as follows:
“That we have uncovered a dangerous plot to subvert the Supreme Court Judgment being spearheaded and financed by Governor Soludo (with Anambra resources) and Victor Oye in connivance with some lawless corrupt police officers led by Mr. Ezekiel Rimamsomte (CSP) and Wisdom Emmanuel Madaki.
“They filed some spurious criminal charges against Chief Edozie Njoku, the National Chairman of APGA in Charge No: CR/12/2022 at FCT High Court; with the IGP as the (plaintiff), while Chief Edozie Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga are the (Accused). They are spuriously alleging that Chief Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga forged the amended Supreme Court Judgement on APGA Leadership.
“Recall that Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili’s in her letter of 7th November, 2022 had confirmed the Judgement to be true and clarified all issues that modest, sincere and honest minds need to know about the amended judgment of May 9, 2022. The essence of Justice Odili’s letter was to rest this matter of lingering APGA Leadership crisis once and for all.
“Unfortunately, Chief Victor Oye and Governor Soludo have used Anambra’s scarce and paltry resources to procure the likes of Mrs. Hajo Sarki Bello (Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court), Mr. Mohammed A. Dikko (Director of Litigation at the Supreme Court), Dr. Festus Akande, (Director of Press and Media at the Supreme Court) and Mr. Gbenga Owodolu (Court Registrar at the Supreme Court) in their failed attempt to subvert the Supreme court judgement.
“This is the first of its kind in Nigeria. Soludo is leading a dangerous crusade on impunity targeted at ridiculing the integrity and image of the Nigeria’s Apex court.
“We wish to call the attention of President Buhari to put a stop to this brazen madness.
“We call on the Attorney General of the Federation to please rise and act accordingly.
“We wish to call on the Chief Justice of the Federation to save the integrity of the Judiciary.
“We wish to call on the INEC Chairman to recognize Chief Edozie Njoku as the authentic National Chairman of APGA, as Chief Victor Oye derives the strength and audacity from the silence of INEC on this issue.
“Finally, Chief Edozie Njoku, our amiable and tenacious National Chairman and the NWC have chosen this path not because it is likeable, but because it is difficult. We have chosen this path not because it is easy, but, because it is herculean. We have chosen this path, not because it is enviable, but, because it is most challenging. For in these times and tides do great minds converge to plough their intellect and meet at that juncture where all forces that tend to frustrate nation building are dared and challenged; so as to offer a greater future for generations yet unborn.”
