By Vivian Okejeme
Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has asked his successor, Gov. Hope Uzodimma and his aides to desist from further insulting judges over a recent judgment.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on October 29, upheld Okorocha’s claim of being the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District for 2027 elections.
Okorocha advised Uzodimma and his aides to instead, concentrate their efforts to pursuing their appeals up to the Supreme Court instead of denigrating the judiciary over a lost case.
He made this statement on Tuesday at the court premises when he came to sign some documents at the court’s Registry in relation to the appeal filed by Uzodimma against the judgement.
Okorocha said: “I listened to that news yesterday and it was so horrible, so terrible, that Governor Hope’s aide, in the name of his Deputy Chief of Staff, and the National Vice Chairman of APC, could berate a judge, insult a judge.
“To use his words, he said that the judgment was rubbish, procured, and that the judge should go and look at himself in the mirror. I think that is terrible. And, the other one, who is called his Deputy Chief of Staff, whose wife is even a judge, could all be insulting the judge because of a judgment.
“So, it means that whenever the judgment is for Hope then, it is good but, whenever it is against him then the Judiciary is evil. I think this is very uncivilized. I want him to caution his attack dogs and his people to refrain from insulting judges. It doesn’t represent this nation well, and I feel particularly hurt.
“I was made to understand that he has called all his aides and commissioners and everybody to go on as an attack dog. You see, they are doing all that. Can’t he wait patiently again to try and get the appeal through? At least the Supreme Court is there.
“So it is very shocking and very surprising. I don’t know what they expected; that the judge should have said that the election was done on the 16th for Hope, when that actual date is 18th?
“Or, he would have said that Hope emerged by consensus, which is not true? Or the paper signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Imo State, the National Chairman was signed only by him, saying that it was by consensus and saying that Hope’s election took place two days before the time?
“I don’t understand what their quarrel is all about. I want to, once more, say: let us protect the sanctity of the Judiciary and let us allow justice prevail in all matters. Hope has been a very big and unusual beneficiary of the court and I think he should have respected,” he said.
Okorocha challenged Uzodimma to fault his claims in public rather than attacking judges and the Judiciary, adding: “If you (Uzodimma) think any of the things I am saying is not true and that the judgment is not true, Hope should come to television or come and speak.
“Why is he (Uzodimma) hiding and using attack dogs here and there to attack judges? That is very bad, and that shows what it means.”
Okorocha, who accused Uzodimma of engaging in forgery by allegedly presenting forged documents in the course of the hearing of the case just decided by Justice Abdulmalik, argued that the Imo governor was fighting a lost battle.
He said: “In fact, if you look at the documents certified by INEC, according to Hope, and look at the inconsistencies and irregularities, then you could say that even the judge has no choice. Even the judge that will want to do wrong cannot do wrong in this case,
“Stop insulting judges. Pursue your appeal and stop your attack dogs from insulting everybody and insulting the Judiciary. “
Okorocha, who hailed the Judiciary, said “I salute the Nigerian Judiciary, honestly. To whatever you might say, they’re still very good. And I believe that the right thing should be done.”
The ex-governor of Imo State faulted report that he was ever arrested, blaming the alleged false report on Uzodimma.
He said: “Let me talk to you about the so-called arrest, which never happened. There was no arrest. And I have asked all the media houses to either involved in investigative journalism or sometimes they are going to suffer from a huge lawsuit that you cannot avoid or afford to do.
“So, Hope Uzoduma went and got a fraudulent warrant after trying so many Magistrate Courts. He went to the one near the border of Kogi to get one. And, then he got his usual manner, a fraudulent warrant of arrest.
“The same court, suo motu (on its own accord) found out that it was fraud and vacated the order and, that is proof that there was a fraudulent activity. So, who is fraudulent in this case if he went and got a warrant of arrest and the court on its own vacated?
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