APC accuses appeal court panel of compromise in Imo North, others as justices recuse themselves

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

There was confusion and rowdy atmosphere at the State and National Assembly Appeal Court, which has been sitting in Lagos to hear cases from Imo State on Monday.

The uproar arose when the All Progressives Congress(APC) counsel and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Echezona Etiaba, presented two petitions allegedly written by his clients, accusing the three-member panel of compromise.

In the letter, which was read by the presiding justice, APC accused Damian Dodo (SAN), allegedly counsel to one of the appellants, of being a conduit to reach the panel headed by Justice Danjuma Mohammed, who is the presiding judge of Makurdi Division of the Court of Appeal.

Other members of the panel are Justice Peter Affen from Yola Division and Justice Asmau’u Musa Mainoma, who is one of the newly appointed justices to the Court of Appeal.

Dodo however, was not counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or Labour Party (LP) at any time, in any of the pre-election cases or the main tribunal in Imo.
The said Dodo was also not counsel to any of the parties at the tribunal and even before the Court of Appeal.

Chikwem Onuoha of LP and Miriam Onuoha of APC, both of Okigwe North

Following the development, the justices, after declaring their innocence, recused themselves from the appeals from Imo State.
The petition further accused PDP of compromising the justices, unfortunately, the appeal that was called was that of Okigwe North Federal Constituency filed by LP candidate Chikwem Onuoha.

Most lawyers and other observers wondered what was the PDP connection in the said matter.
The justices said it was just before court session that they were made to know whom they would sit with, and which cases they would preside over.

A cross section of lawyers who were obviously angry at the turn of events, as all the appeals were not heard, lambasted Etiaba for using his status as a SAN to present, what they described as unbelievable and defamatory petition.

One of the lawyers, Ajuonuma Stanley, called for the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) to look into the matter. He also urged the President of the court of Appeal to ensure the case is heard by men and women that can’t be compromised.

He said: “The LPPC should immediately look into this kind of unprofessional conduct. He cannot accuse a fellow SAN of being in a matter, when the records show that the said SAN was not anywhere involved,” He said