If he did, did he communicate the information only to Ikpeazu’s lawyer without communicating to Justice M.S. Shuaibu and the applicant and his lawyers? This is a puzzle a surprised Justice M.S. Shuaibu is trying to get an answer to following the position of C.C Elele, counsel to Governor Ikpeazu in Suit No FHC/OW/CS/191/2015, challenging the validity of his tax certificates which he filed at the INEC office prior to the 2015 elections. A PDP chieftain and governorship aspirant in the December 8, 2014 PDP primaries in Abia state, Sir Friday Nwosu had shortly after the primary election won by Ikpeazu approached the Federal High Court accusing him (Ikpeazu) of forging the tax certificates he submitted to the electoral body. While the matter was going on, the presiding Judge, Justice M. S. Shuaibu was transferred to Kaduna. However, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court directed him to hear and conclude the matter in his Owerri, Imo State former division. [caption id="attachment_3747" align="alignnone" width="600"]Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu’ Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu’[/caption] However, when the matter came up on Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Federal High Court, Owerri Division, for the adoption of written addresses by parties, Ikpeazu’s lawyer, Mr. Casmir Elele informed Justice Shuaibu that the order directing him to hear and conclude the matter has been revoked by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, an information that surprised the Judge who has not been informed by the Chief Judge. He therefore promised to probe to know how Elele was the only person who has the information which neither he nor the applicant and his lawyers have, saying that he would find out if the lawyer of his principal had been having communication with his boss, the Chief Judge of Federal High Court. Justice Shuaibu adjourned the matter to Thursday 28th April, 2016, to enable him confirm from the Chief Judge if there was an order directing him to hands off the matter. Meanwhile, the applicant [Nwosu] on his own has petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, seeking to confirm whether he revoked the order he granted Justice M.S. Shuaibu to hear and conclude the tax forgery case against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. “In my humble view, there is no way C.C Elele should be in possession of any order revoking Your Lordship’s fiat granted in my favour, when I do not have any copy or any knowledge about it. “The Judge, lawyers and everybody in the court were very surprised how Barrister C. C. Elele was the one informing Hon. Justice Shuaibu of official information which Your Lordship, the Honourable Chief Judge should communicate to him if it exists. Again, between Monday 14th March 2016 and today 18th March 2016, nothing happened and no party complained against Hon. Justice Shuaibu to the best of my knowledge. “What could have happened, and what could have warranted revocation of My Lord’s fiat if any, and how could My Lord have sent Barrister Casmir .C. Elele (3rd Defendant’s Counsel) to come and announce same to the Court and to us publicly in the circumstances”, Nwosu said in the petition.”]]>