The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday upheld the Nigerian Federal Government's application asking it to stay the execution of its earlier decision that discharged and acquitted IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of terrorism charges.
A three-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsanami unanimously ruled to hold the execution of the October 13th judgment until the Supreme Court hears and decides the appeal brought before the apex Court by the Federal Government.
The appellate court also ordered the Nigerian Government to send the record of the appeal and its decision to the Supreme Court within seven days for the matter to be determined quickly.
Last Monday, the appellate court withheld its decision on the motion brought by the Federal Government asking it to postpone the execution of the decision that nullified the 15-count terrorism charges it brought against Kanu pending the outcome of an appeal it had filed with the Supreme Court.
Continuing Detention of Kanu Is An Assault To Igbo, Says Ugochinyere.
Meanwhile, a popular Nigerian politician, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, on Friday, condemned the continued detention of the leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, despite three different court decisions ordering his release.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division had on October 13, 2022, ordered the release of Kanu.
The Federal High Court, Umuahia, also ruled that Kanu be released, prosecuted no further, and ordered the Federal Government to return him to Kenya from where he was illegally extradited.
Similarly, a High Court in Abia State also ruled in favor of the IPOB leader.
In a press statement on Friday, Ugochinyere said Kanu’s continued detention despite these court judgments shows that President Muhammadu Buhari-led government does not have respect for the rule of law and has no regard for the Igbo people.
Ikenga Ugochinyere
The statement read, “I have observed with dismay the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government despite three recent court judgments in his favor.
"This total disregard for court judgments by this administration has shown that the APC government does not have an iota of respect for the judiciary.
“Not only that, but this development is also an indication that President Buhari is calling Igbos fools.
“It is surprising that the President can sanction this reckless and illegal activity of his men and agencies despite saying openly many times that only the court will determine Mazi Kanu’s fate.
"This government’s action is an affront to Igbos, especially our traditional and religious leaders who have approached Buhari on Kanu’s issue many times with him insisting that the court will be allowed to handle the case.
“This hate and disrespect for the Igbos by the President and his government should not be allowed to continue without the Igbos replying in a manner that will show their annoyance.
"I, therefore, call on all Igbos to reply to Buhari in the same coin by rejecting all APC candidates at all levels at the polls.
“Igbos should give zero votes to all APC candidates from top to bottom to display their grievances against the government.
“A government that does not respect the Igbos and their leaders should not be rewarded with votes.”
Malami Is Promoting An Ethnic Agenda.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has accused the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami of pursuing an ethnic agenda against its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and the Igbo.
A statement on Friday, signed by IPOB Media and publicity secretary, comrade Emma Powerful said, "The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the Prophet and indefatigable liberator Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu condemn the disgraceful, irresponsible, and unguarded statements from Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General and minister of justice of Nigeria who keeps spewing out garbage publicly that seem to reduce his integrity and honor every time.
The group also criticized Malami for transferring the Appeal Court judges who delivered the 13th of October 2022 judgment that set Kanu free of all terrorism charges against him.
"Abubakar Malami transferred the honorable justices who displayed sincerity in justice on the 13th of October 2022 in the Appeal Court, to work on the minds of the newly appointed judges and has used them to order a stay of execution of justice which they have carried out today being Friday the 28th of October 2022.
"What a shame to these judges who were just selected a week ago to carry out this injustice to allow the stay of execution of orders by the same court only two weeks ago.
Abubakar Malami and Nnamdi Kanu
"They have displayed their ignorance of the law and their willingness to act unjustly due to their lack of independence for allowing themselves to be used by an ethnically biased Attorney General and minister of justice.
"Those judges may not know what they did to themselves now but later, they will realize that their careers have been trashed by this singular act of allowing the stay of execution.
"Abubakar Malami should go back and read his law books again because all the charges and cases he cited during his interview with one of the national dailies were embedded in the cases quashed by the Appeal Court.
"His comments in the interview smark of a high exhibition of ignorance, and myopic understanding of the law and the Constitution of the same country he claims to be representing.
"He should redeem his constantly lost credibility following the manner he is approaching and comments he makes on our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's case by simply obeying the Court Orders.
"He should know that the world is watching his utterances, actions, and display of ignorance of the law.
"We are laughing at him because his reputation and that of Nigeria is going down every day as they keep disobeying their own Courts."
Politics and Opinion.
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