Rejoinder By The Anambra State Judiciary On The Allegations Concerning Pre-Election Litigation By APGA Members

The pre-long vacation meeting of the Judges of Anambra State held on 31/07/2017 would be the same as other ones, this time all in common agreement about their welfare under the Chairmanship of the Hon. the Chief Judge. We are aware that in other jurisdictions Judges had kicked against provision of medical allowances 5 times higher than what our Judges rejected. In coming to that decision it was unanimous, including the other two Judges maligned in the offensive story. The meeting was punctuated by standing ovation for the Hon. the Chief Judge and ended on a happy and friendly note as one united family. “Team Oderaigbo” went further to conclude that the Hon. the Chief Judge at the meeting announced himself and Justice Okaa as Vacation Judges, to show that something really went wrong. The truth of the matter is that the Vacation Order for the long vacation of 2017 was issued by the Hon. Chief Judge on 3/7/2017 and distributed to Hon. Judges along with their invitations to the meeting. The announcement of the Vacation Judges at the meeting was perfunctory and followed the good practice of putting it on the agenda for the meeting. Next, is that as at 3/7/2017 the matter in which Justices Okaa and Maduechesi presided over had not been filed. It is also prudent that this being an election year in Anambra State, the Hon. the Chief Judge, should keep an eye on events and be named on the Order. Further still, our records show that this is not the first time the Hon. the Chief Judge had served as Vacation Judge. In an instance he was the sole Vacation Judge. In an earlier post titled “Restraining Order APGA others petition NJC, EFCC, over Anambra CJ, Okaa’s roles” this same man, “Team Oderaigbo” claim the Hon. the Chief Judge received a ‘gift’ of Land Cruiser Jeep from the Governor to pervert justice in concert with the others mentioned. In the latest post he insists the Hon. the Chief Judge received a ‘gift’ of Lexus Jeep and fuel money while the other Judges received only money without vehicle. Would it be that the Hon. the Chief Judge received ‘gifts’ of two cars. How do we begin to explain to this miserable, failed blackmailer, how the Judiciary works. These are blatant falsehood. Recently a team from the Institute of Security Studies Abuja, made up of SANs, Lawyers, Experts from the Nigeria Police, SSS, EFCC, Immigration, Military, and other Para-Military Agencies on a Nation-Wide Tour visited the Judiciary of Anambra State and rated us high, extolling the good relationship between the Hon. the Chief Judge and the other Judges, unique Executive-Judiciary relationship without sacrificing the quality of justice and rated us high in the fight against corruption. No sane person would say what “Team Oderaigbo” said against Judicial Officers without proof. Certainly, my Lord, Hon. Justice Olajide Olatawura, JCA (as he then was) of blessed memory, did not have scoundrels like “Team Oderaigbo” in mind when he delivered the sublime and ground breaking judgement in the case of Arthur Nwankwo V The State (1985) 6 NCLR 288, entrenching freedom for real journalist to ply their profession. We insist that necessary process shall be initiated to first unveil and bring the man forward to prove his statements or face the consequences according to law. In this respect the Judiciary has turned over all he wrote to legal practitioners to study. He would also explain how he received the information that the Judicial Officers are under investigation by the NJC. The man “Team Oderaigbo” is a hack writer with a suicide mentality. He is a terrorist, a mercenary and caricature-journalist, whom we believe his time is up. The Judiciary at Anambra State would use all legal and constitutional means available to move him to defend his despicable acts. Signed His Hon. L.S.E. Uzuodu Chief Registrar High Court Justice Anambra State Awka 2/8/2017]]>