Ahead of the Friday September 23rd judgment of the Court of Appeal over
the tax forgery suit against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; a group, Movement
for Abia Unity and Progress, (MAUP) yesterday said it has discovered a
plot by the governor, Senator Theodore Orji, the chairman of South East
Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Eberechi Dick, among other persons to
compromise the Justice R.C. Agbo led five- man Court of Appeal panel
sitting over appeals arising from the judgment of the Federal High Court,
Owerri, delivered by Justice Lewis Ambrose Allagoa on July 8, 2016.
A five man panel of the Court of Appeal headed by Justice R.C. Agbo had
directed parties to file and exchange processes for hearing on Thursday
while judgment has been fixed for Friday, September 23, 2016 in the suit
in which the governor was accused of submitting false information and
perjury in his tax documents.
MAUP claimed that Ikeazu and Orji had approached an ex Attorney General
and Commissioner for Justice in Imo state who is also a Senior Advocate of
Nigeria (SAN) to help compromise the chairman of the panel of Judges with
an irresistible offer of cash in hard currency.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Francis Eme and
Secretary, Chidiebere Ogbonnaya, the group maintained that information at
its disposal revealed that four days to the date of the judgment on
Friday, Gov. Ikpeazu and Sen. Orji, has been desperately looking for a way
to reach the chairman of the panel, Justice R.C. Agbo, who is also the
Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division to ensure a
favourable verdict in the suit; Friday Nwosu vs PDP, INEC, Ikpeazu and
Ogah.
“Information available to us revealed that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu,
Senator Orji and their group are now making desperate efforts to reach the
chairman of the panel, Justice R.C. Agbo to compromise the Judges and
ensure that the governor gets a favourable judgment on Friday. As a
responsible civil society organization, we warn that if they don’t desist
from this evil act, we will not hesitate to expose the persons involved
and their modus operandi. We hereby urge Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to allow
justice prevail rather than using the Abia commonwealth to procure
judgment when the state owes over 6 months salaries to its workers. It is
no news that Governor Ikpeazu’s supporters have been boasting that they
have bought over the panel of judges and are sure to get a favourable
judgment on Friday. We warn the Judges to refuse to be compromised as all
eyes are on them to deliver justice.”
The group urged the EFCC and the ICPCto investigate the activities of the
governor and Senator Orji who have continued to boast of their judicial
contacts to win cases.