Despite cries by Nigerians to reform the nation’s judicial arm of government, it has unfortunately been observed that they are still certain elements who prefer the old system with it’s attendant consequences on quality of justice delivery.
This is the case of a member of the 10th House of Representatives, member for Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Mr. Emeka Sunny Nnamani whom the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia sacked over falsification of academic certificates but is still in the Green Chamber boasting of filling an appeal even when he has no locus standi to do so based on pre-existing court judgements.
Recall that Mr. Emeka Nnamani was sacked for presenting forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC for 2023 House of Representatives election despite an existing court order which barred him from contesting any election in Nigeria.
The Election Petition Tribunal in Abia State and a Court of Appeal in Owerri in Imo State had in 2015 barred the House of Representatives Member from contesting any election in the country following the submission of forged certificates to INEC in the 2015 State Assembly election in Abia State.
However, in a bid to circumvent justice, Mr. Nnamani surreptitiously procured a kangaroo police report which he used in deceiving the State High Court at Umunneochi to absorb him of already established case of forgery against him without knowing that the Supreme Court had already decided on the matter in a case between Saleh Vs Abah where the apex court held that; anybody disqualified by a Tribunal or a Court for presentation of forged documents to INEC is barred in perpetuity from contesting any future elections in the country.
That such disqualification is not limited only to one election but to every election in one’s lifetime.
However, since no court of competent jurisdiction has lifted the ban slammed on Mr. Nnamani over certificate forgery, it is therefore an aberration for him to criminally collaborate with the police to deceive the Abia State High Court at Umunneochi in to absorbing him of the ban when the Supreme Court had in a case between Umana V Obong Victor Attah & ORS held that a state High Court has no jurisdiction to question the decision of Election Petition Tribunal or the Court of Appeal.
Hence, in total disregard to the court order which barred him from contesting any election, the sacked House of Representatives member still presented himself for election in 2023 which the Tribunal has done the needful by removing him because once a forger is always a forger.
But the question is, will Emeka Nnamani continue to walk around free when he should have been in jail for forging and presenting a fake certificate to INEC? Nnamani even lied under oath in his 2023 INEC form that he has never presented a forged document to INEC.
Shouldn’t the IGP order for the investigation of the police division that forged the police report in which Mr. Nnamani used in deceiving the Abia State High Court at Umunneochi?
Should Nnamani’s attempt to use the court to authenticate fraud go unpunished?
To be generous, the honourable thing Mr. Emeka Nnamani should do, is to bow out of the Green Chambers quietly like Salisu Buhari instead of continuing denting the image of the judiciary and the National Assembly over his selfish interest.
Mr. Jonas Chukwu files this report from Abia State
