Umahi’s attack on judge who sacked him as Ebonyi governor ‘executive rascality’ – NBA
The Nigeria Bar Association has described as unacceptable Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi’s verbal attacks on Justice Inyang Ekwo after the Federal High sitting in Abuja sacked him and his deputy Eric Kelechi Igwe.
In a statement signed by the NBA President Olumide Akpata which was made available to our correspondent on Wednesday, the NBA described Umahi’s actions as executive rascality.
“Following the Judgment, Engr. Umahi, in the course of a Press Conference-video evidence of which is currently making the rounds on both new and mainstream media – threw caution to the wind and deployed very uncomplimentary adjectives and intemperate language in characterizing both the Judgment and Hon. Justice Ekwo, including but not limited to describing the Judgment as “jungle justice” and His Lordship as ‘a hatchet man’.
“As if these were not enough, Engr. Umahi accused the Court of ‘murdering justice’ and also arrogated to himself the judicial powers and magisterial authority to declare the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction as null and void while unashamedly declaring his intention to disregard the Judgment in favour of another. To put it plainly, this is impunity of the highest order and executive rascality taken too far.
“While the NBA has absolutely no interest in the outcome of the case in question and will continue to stay away from partisan politics, it is inconceivable that this Association that is charged with upholding the rule of law and defending the Judiciary would sit idly by in the face of this unprovoked and totally unwarranted attack on the Judiciary. Indeed, the leadership of the NBA has been inundated with calls from a cross-section of well meaning Nigerians who are understandably outraged by the utterances of Engr. Dave Umahi and who have rightly demanded that appropriate action be taken to protect the sanctity of the Judiciary.
“It is for this reason that we condemn without equivocation, Engr. Umahi’s unfortunate diatribe which, if it had emanated from an average litigant, would still have been regarded as shocking but coming from one who occupies the exalted office of a State Governor, is nothing short of a national embarrassment,” the NBA said.
The NBA also asked the Ebonyi governor to retract his earlier statement and apologise to the federal high court judge.
“In light of the foregoing, the NBA hereby demands an immediate apology from H.E. Engr. Dave Umahi and a retraction of the comments he made against the person and Judgment of the Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court. It is also our demand that this apology and retraction be given as much media coverage as the Press Conference where the unfortunate comments were made,” the NBA added.
