*HURIWA carpets Court of Appeal’s President for transferring the justices that heard and determined the Appeal by Nnamdi Kanu:
Blasting the apex court and the court of Appeal for even admitting the appeal filed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the disrespectful application for stay of execution against a clearly binding verdict of the Court of Appeal freeing Nnamdi Kanu the detained leader of the indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), A civil society body:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) had told the hierarchy of the court system that they are destroying the judicial arm of government for their selfish reasons by letting federal government impugn the integrity of the court system in clear breach of section 6 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Besides, HURIWA has expressed disappointment that rather than mount pressure on President Buhari to honour his constitutional Oath of office and obey a binding judgment of a competent court of jurisdiction, the apex Igbo cultural group –OHANAEZE is going cap- in-hand to Aso Rock Villa to beg for political solution as if the courts are no longer relevant. HURIWA has also carpeted the hierarchy of the Appellate court for becoming political by sending on transfer from Abuja the justices that courageously determined the Appeal by Nnamdi Kanu and quashed all charges initiated illegally by Abubakar Malami, Buhari’s Attorney General.
“We expected all right thinking Nigerians to initiate international and local advocacy campaigns for the sake of the image of Nigeria and the health and well being of the judicial arm of government to get president Buhari to obey the Appeal Court and free Nnamdi Kanu before appealing at the supreme court, some politicians and the Igbo socio-cultural respected global body – the OHANAEZE NDI IGBO is begging Buhari to release Nnamdi Kanu who is already suffering from suspected terminal health challenges allegedly contracted whilst in detention. HURIWA said her intervention on this matter is on the side of justice and constitutionalism and not about the Ethnicity of the detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
HURIWA recalled that the President General of the apex Igbo body, Prof. George Obiozor, has reached out to the Presidency for a possible meeting. President Muhammadu Buhari had in previous meetings with delegations of Igbo elders told them that he would not interfere with the judicial process, urging them to allow the court decide Kanu’s fate. Though the Ohanaeze National Secretariat would not speak on the effort made so far, two Igbo elders, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and first republic minister of aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, in separate interviews, hinted of behind the scene moves to secure Kanu’s release.
HURIWA recalled that asked by the media to comment on the appeal at the apex court by the Federal Government while still keeping the IPOB leader in detention, Amechi said he would not discuss the issue “because there are arrangements for political solution ongoing. That is why I have not talked about it; we are pursuing a political solution with the presidency. I would not like to pre-empt what would be the outcome of the discussion.”
Relatedly, HURIWA recalled that the media reported that Igbo leader Chief Ezeife also expressed optimism that Kanu would soon be a free man. Ezeife, who said that the Court of Appeal judgement in favour of the self-determination activist was in line with the current spirit of a new Nigeria sweeping across the country especially amongst young people, posited that the earlier Kanu was released, the better for Eastern Nigeria, the nation and the whole black race. “Igbo elders are planning to go to the President. If it means for me to kneel down in front of everybody, I will kneel for him. If he wants me to prostrate, I will prostrate but let him release Nnamdi Kanu and let’s silence some of the people who are fighting against the resurgence of Nigeria and the blacks. I must tell you that our leader, Professor George Obiozor; the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo called me the same day when the issue came up and said he is preparing for us to go to the president and persuade him to do the right thing and I told him that I am ready. Very soon we will organise that appointment and we will go to the president,” the elder statesman stated.
The South East caucuses in both chambers of the National Assembly, last week, appealed to government to release the IPOB leader.
On a very sad note, the Prominent civil Rights Advocacy Group-HURIWA recalled that the three Justices that sat on the Court of Appeal panel that quashed the 15-count terrorism charge the Federal Government preferred against the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, have been transferred from their various divisions. Investigation by the media and verified by HURIWA revealed that the three appellate court justices were transferred, four days after they delivered the judgment that discharged the embattled IPOB leader. Whereas the presiding Justice, Jummai Hanatu Sankey, who was hitherto in the Gombe Division of the court, has been moved to Awka Division, Justice Oludotun Adetope-Okojie who delivered the lead judgment, was transferred to Owerri, while the third member of the panel, Justice Ebiowei Tobi, was moved to Gombe.A memo dated October 17, which was signed by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, stressed that the new posting for the justices was with immediate effect as they were expected to report to their new stations by October 21.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will today (Monday), hear the appeal FG filed to stet aside the judgment that freed Kanu.
HURIWA is therefore reminding the President of the Court of Appeal who has now decided to be a politician by witch-hunting justices of her Courtfor deciding a matter by Nnamdi Kanu purely on point of law and not point of AREWA SENTIMENTS just as HURIWA said history does not forget any act of treachery whatever and whenever it happens.