APGA SOUTH AFRICA CHAPTER REBUKES JUSTICE UMEZULUIKE
The Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance South Africa Chapter (APGA SA) Engr. Henry Onyekumnaru has called on Justice Aloma Muktar as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to redeem the fate of the judiciary in Nigeria by calling Justice Umezuluike to order. The Chief Justice of Enugu State, Justice Umezuluike has erred and abused his office in the way he handled the case between one Mr Jude Okoli and the National Chairman of APGA, Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh and should be suspended while proper investigation should be carried out to fish out those who has hired him.
APGA SA Chapter condemns in totality what it calls “a caricature of Justice” as seen by the actions of Justice Umzuluike on our noble chairman and the entire APGA members in general. This confirms the dishonourable fact that the Nigerian judiciary has judges at all levels who are materially compromised with no difficulty. The culture of justice for sale in Nigeria has continued to be a threat which if not treated could lead to a great disaster in the near future.
It will be recalled that on the 9thof August, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) through their Chairman, Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, had lamented on the alleged use of the courts to frustrate the activities of political parties including the APGA and claimed that the opponents of the party, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was waging a war against democratic freedom on the opposition political parties with the sole selfish objective of enthroning a one-party state.
It was quite clear that that by the actions taken by the Enugu State CJ at the onset of the matter was clear signal of a man on a paid mission by someone or people in the background who have hired him. Otherwise, how can a Chief Judge make an ex-parte order against the national chairman of APGA on the 21stJuly when APGA was not a party to the suit? The same judge went ahead on the 31stof July, against the provision of the Enugu State High Court rules to extend the order to September 17, without application by thy parties. It is also incredible to note that even when the APGA National Chairman has cried foul and had on September 19, 2012 asked Justice Umezulike to hands off his (Umeh's) pending case in his court, insisting that that he was not confident he would obtain justice from the Chief Justice court through a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and copied Justice Umezuluike, he still refused to withdraw from the case rather went ahead to grant an interlocutory injunction against APGA National Chairman pending the pending the determination of substantive suit before the court.. What is he bent on achieving? How can he subvert justice just to justify reasons to earn the enormous funds that may have been paid to him by his bosses who have hired him to do mischief?
The Chief Justice of the federation has to act fast and now. Speaking with newsmen during the inauguration of the Nigerian Union in Durban South Africa, the APGA SA Chieftain described the Judiciary as the last hope of a common man. He maintained that it is only in Nigeria that a citizen runs to the court for justice and it takes several months /years to get justice. This can no longer be tolerated. In his words “we will continue to mount pressure on the CJN until our voice is heard. The new Chief Judge of the Federation is a reputable person who understands that Judiciary is independent and we are hopeful that she will do things differently if the Judiciary wants to keep the public confidence”.