Abati: I thought I could rattle Tinubu during media chat — but he knows what he’s doing

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Onitsha branch has said it is expecting the rule of law to thrive this time around in the final determination of the treasonable charge against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The statement is coming ahead of the scheduled December 15 Supreme Court judgment on the Federal Government’s appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had earlier discharged and acquitted Kanu of all the charges of treasonable felony and consequently ordered his unconditional release.

Chairman of the branch, Dickson Uba, who stated this yesterday at their annual 2023 Law Week, with a theme: “Ensuring the rule of law in a flawed judicial and political environment,” declared: “We are expecting the rule of law to be upheld. A situation where both the High Court and Appeal Court ordered his release and it was disobeyed does not augur well for the advancement of the rule of law in a judicial and political environment.”

On the recent appointment of 11 more Supreme Court justices, Uba described it as a step in the right direction, adding that he was particularly impressed that Ndigbo were given three slots out of the 11 newly appointed Supreme Court judges this time around.

In his closing remarks, Administrative Judge of Onitsha Judicial Division, Justice Ifeanyi Nweze said if we must change the narratives in this country, we must be ready to die for the future of our children and children’s children yet unborn.

Justice Nweze, who identified corruption and disobedience to the rule of law as some of the major constraints militating against our progress, urged all sectors to wake up from slumber.

In their separate speeches, Justice Alexander Okumah of the Ogbaru Judicial Division; Justice D. A. Onyefulu, and Justice Onyinye Anumonye urged the NBA to rise as a strong pressure group in the quest for a society known for the obedience to the rule of law.

Activities lined up for the four-day event, which kicked off, yesterday, with the opening ceremony, included dinner today,  visitation to the sick and elderly colleagues on Saturday, and thanksgiving service on Sunday.