A group of human rights lawyers have pointed accusing fingers at Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Governor Hope Uzodimma of allegedly being the brain behind the false accusation made by APC zonal vice chairman for South-East and a well known loyalist of the governor, aimed at blackmailing eminent judges of the Appeal Court who were meeting and sitting for the first time in Lagos without prior knowledge of each other.
The judges are to determine the appeal cases arising from the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal from Imo State.
The lawyers at a press conference addressed by Barr. Tijani Ahmed at the Appeal Court complex in Lagos after the hearing of the Imo petitions was suspended based on the frivolous petition and accusation of corruption made by the APC zonal vice chair, said the action showed the level of desperation of the Uzodinma-led Imo APC.
The lawyers queried how a senior lawyer, Echezona Etiaba, could connive with such elements to malign the integrity of the judges knowing that the contents of the petitions were false and have the audacity of accusing a senior member of the Bar, Damian Dodo, SAN, of bribery of Judges on behalf of one of the Appellants even when Hh knows Dodo is not in the case for any of the parties.
The groups wanted the President of the Appeal Court to be on the look out for the agents of Uzodimma in her office, who are willing to undermine the judges and ensure that the plan to use the Appeal Court to stamp what they called Imo electoral robberies.
Recall that the newly constituted Appeal Court panel was billed to start sitting in Lagos but surprisingly mid way APC via their Lawyer, Echezona Etiaba, SAN, brought a petition accusing the judges who are just seeing themselves sit for the first time on Monday morning, accusing them of corruption, bribery and for coming from PDP-controlled states.
“This latest move to tarnish the names of innocent justices of the Appeal Court is very provocative and shows the extent the Uzodinma’s men can go to have their way at the detriment of the integrity of the Appeal Court,” the group stated.
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