⬆️Rochas Okorocha.
Former Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on Tuesday called on his successor, Gov. Hope Uzodinma and his aides to desist from further insulting judges over the recent judgment on the lawful candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 Imo West Senatorial District election.
Okorocha gave the advice while speaking with newsmen at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The ex-govenor was in court to sign some documents at the court’s registry in relation to the appeal filed by Gov. Uzodinma against the Oct. 29 judgment delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
Justice Egwuatu had nullified the nomination of Uzodinma as the 2027 APC’s candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election.
The judge, who ordered Uzodinma to stop parading himself as the candidate on the grounds that he did not win the May 18 primary election conducted by the APC and monitored by INEC, held that evidence presented before the court proved that Okorocha won majority of the votes cast.
Reacting to allegations by Uzodinma’s aides, Okorocha advised them to concentrate their efforts to pursuing their appeals up to the Supreme Court instead of denigrating the judiciary over a lost case.
“I listened to that news yesterday and it was so horrible, so terrible, that Governor Hope’s aide, in the name of his Deputy Chief of Staff, and the National Vice Chairman of APC, could berate a judge, insult a judge.
“To use his words, he said that the judgment was rubbish, procured and that the judge should go and look at himself in the mirror.
“I think that is terrible. And, the other one, who is called his Deputy Chief of Staff, whose wife is even a judge, could be insulting the judge because of a judgment.
“So, it means that whenever the judgment is for Hope, then, it is good but whenever it is against him, the Judiciary is evil.
“I think this is very uncivilised. I want him to caution his attack dogs and his people to refrain from insulting judges.
“It doesn’t represent this nation well, and I feel particularly hurt,” he said.
He urged Uzodinma and his aides to be patient for his appeal to be determined by the higher court.
“So it is very shocking and very surprising. I don’t know what they expected; that the judge should have said that the election was done on the 16th of May for Hope, when the actual date was 18th?
“Or, he would have said that Hope emerged by consensus, which is not true?
“Or that the paper signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Imo State, the National Chairman was signed only by him, saying that it was by consensus and saying that Hope’s election took place two days before the time?
“I don’t understand what their quarrel is all about. I want to, once more, say, let us protect the sanctity of the judiciary and let us allow justice prevail in all matters.
“Hope has been a very big and unusual beneficiary of the court and I think he should have respected this,” he said.
Okorocha challenged Uzodimma to fault his claims in public rather than attacking judges and the judiciary.
“If you (Uzodimma) think any of the things I am saying is not true and that the judgment is not true, Hope should come to television or come and speak.
“Why is he (Uzodimma) hiding and using attack dogs here and there to attack judges?
“That is very bad, and that shows what it means,” he added.
He commended the judge for the judgment he delivered.
“In fact, if you look at the documents certified by INEC, according to Hope, and look at the inconsistencies and irregularities, then you could say that even the judge has no choice.
“Even the judge that will want to do wrong cannot do wrong in this case.
“Stop insulting judges, pursue your appeal and stop your attack dogs from insulting everybody and insulting the judiciary,” he said.
Okorocha, who is also a former senator, praised the judiciary for standing by the truth.
“I salute the Nigerian judiciary, honestly. To whatever you might say, they’re still very good.
“And I believe that the right thing should be done,” he said.
The ex-governor equally faulted report that he was ever arrested, blaming the alleged false report on Uzodimma.