Appeal Court Justice Disappears with Andy Uba Judgement

Last View on Thu 21st February, 2008
Last Modified on Tue 19th February, 2008 6:51:06 pm
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara

Saharareporters, New York

A stench of corruption now hovers over yesterday’s judgment of the Federal Court of Appeal in Enugu which ruled that the Anambra State Electoral Tribunal overstepped its bound by ruling that the so-called gubernatorial election in the state was a non-event. One source close to Uba disclosed to Saharareporters that the ex-presidential aide confided that he had given substantial bribes to each of the justices.

According to our source, Uba’s decision to get a “favorable” judgment at all costs comes from his desperation to acquire legal immunity from criminal prosecution.

The source said Uba was aware that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had compiled a massive dossier on his ill-gotten assets. Uba, who played a role in the removal of Nuhu Ribadu as chairman of the EFCC, is reportedly jittery that Ribadu, a personal friend of his, was close to arresting him.

According to our source, Uba has not been able to rest easy despite Ribadu’s removal. He has confided in close associates that he cannot trust current EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde to leave him alone.

Our source also revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Uba had held formal and informal negotiations with Umar Yar’adua to ensure that Uba is not harassed by the anti-corruption agency. According to him, Yar’adua and Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa then advised Uba to secure a judgment from the Court of Appeal that could be interpreted as a restoration of Uba’s illegitimate mandate. “Chief Uba was told that once he gets such a judgment, the Yar’adua government would protect him by using the argument that he has immunity as a sworn-in governor,” said our source.

Armed with that encouragement, Uba reportedly sweetened the offer he had earlier made to the justices.

Justice Domgbam Mensen, the female jurist who read yesterday’s judgment that was written by Justice Kumasi, subsequently disappeared with the judgment, stranding attorneys in the case who sought a copy of the judgment.

Since yesterday, Mr. Andy Uba’s lawyers and media handlers have used the media to mislead the public with the erroneous spin that the judgment granted Mr. Andy Uba "victory" to remain the validly elected governor of Anambra State in 2010.

While a few newspapers correctly noted that the judgment was a mere academic exercise, several other reports induced by Andy Uba's lawyers and media aides gave the impression that the judgment’s effect is to return Uba to the governor’s office in two years.

One source close to Uba’s camp In the verdict, Justice Mensen had excoriated the Elections Petitions Tribunal for going beyond its brief and jurisdiction to grant a relief not sought by plaintiffs in the petition. Based on the Supreme Court judgment of June 14, 2007, the tribunal had ruled that Uba’s so-called election was a fiction.



Uba asked the appellate court to declare that the tribunal’s position was wrong since none of the petitioners had asked for that particular relief.

Many legal analysts including lawyers on both sides of the case agree that, even though the appellate court took Uba’s line, the judgment was an academic exercise that carries no weight.

Even so, Saharareporters has been informed that the Appeal Court judges may have compromised their offices by receiving bribes from Mr. Andy Uba to give an “uncertain judgment” that hands Uba ammunition to prosecute a public relations campaign that he is a governor-in-waiting. “The judges told Uba they would make fools of themselves by declaring him a governor-in-waiting,” said our source, “but they promised him a technical ‘victory’ that gives him room to gamble with another court case in 2010 asking that he be declared the governor. It’s a hopeless gamble, but Uba desperately needed it.”   

Contrary to high court rules and regulations, the lead justice refused as of twenty-four hours after delivering the judgement to provide copies to the lawyers who opposed Uba in the case.

Saharareporters learnt that Mrs. Justice Mensen suddenly flew from Enugu to Abuja where she claims that she is making fresh amendments to the judgment she already read in an open court.

When the Supreme Court ruled on January 29, 2008 that Andy Uba's case had no merit and thus threw it out, Mr. Uba's lead lawyer bragged openly that the case was not over yet. That boast, despite the fact that the Supreme Court judgment has the final say on any case, was because Uba had bribed the appeal court justices in Enugu to muddy the situation by delivering a judgment that would enable him to make a claim on power after the expiration of Governor Peter Obi’s tenure in 2010.

The Supreme Court had ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) erred when it organized a fresh governorship election in Anambra when there was no vacancy.

Most legal experts we interviewed told Saharareporters that the Supreme Court’s verdict precludes Uba from ever laying a claim to power based on his illegitimately acquired “mandate” of 2007. 

One Lagos-based lawyer, Christian Okeke, told our correspondent that the Uba-sponsored misinformation in the media “is a desperate act by a man who wants to fool gullible people that he is a governor-in-waiting. Nothing is farther from the truth.”

Speaking to our Abuja correspondent, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria contended that the Supreme Court’s decision that no governorship election should have been held in Anambra remains the binding constitutional verdict, despite the academic carrot the Federal Court of Appeal gave Uba. “Come 2010, the relevant part of the electoral act is that which stipulates that elections into a vacant gubernatorial position must be conducted no more than 60 days before the expiration of the current governor’s tenure,” he said. According to him, “If Uba's lawyers are telling him he’s going to become governor in 2010, they’re misleading him—and it may amount to a serious case of professional misconduct because they know better. Uba’s claim to victory in the current case is empty posturing, null, void and of no effect.” He added that the best Uba could get from yesterday’s judgment is another round of adventurous trips through the courts in 2010. And I can assure you that he will lose again—merely throwing more money into the pocket of his lawyers.”

Wonders shall never end in Nigeria!

Anambra, Oh Anambra?

OHANEZE KWENU!

OHANEZE?

OHA-GA-DI-N'EZE?

OHA-GA-DI-ZI-LI-N'EZE?

OHA-GA-DI-ZI-LI-N'EZE UNUUUUUUU?


My question to you guys keep getting longer as you can see dependin' on how long it takes to resolve this una matter.

Ah-ah?

7 GOVERNORS IN LESS THAN 10 YEARS!--some duplicates may apply! We might soon have a triplicate for the world record.

Hmmmmmmmmmm!  Only in Nigeria!

Jungle politics!

So Andy baba was part of the "henchmen" that removed Mallam DE Mallam eh?   Inn-a-res-ting!

Why should Appeal court sitting in Enugu try to have an head-on collision with the supreme court?

WELL WELL WELL, WELLITY WELLITY WELLITY!!!! LMAO!!!

Anambra State in the news again _{This people should stop disgracing me, abeg}

stillwater:

Anambra State in the news again _{This people should stop disgracing me, abeg}

I say 'OHANEZE' KWEZUENU--------------------------------Y'AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

I say 'OHANEZE' KWEZUENU--------------------------------Y'AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

_{I have renounced my Anambra citizenship already}

stillwater:

_{I have renounced my Anambra citizenship already}

If only it were that easy. Wont u come and greet ur grandparents?

Anambra needs deliverance!

If only it were that easy. Wont u come and greet your grandparents?

_{My grandparents are dead already I used to have a dual citizenship between Anambra(paternal) and Imo(maternal). I am now an "Imoian".}

Imo? Welcome to the 2nd best state in Nigeria.

we dont need illegal immigrants in imo

we dont want owerri to look like onitsha

we don't need illegal immigrants in imo

we don't want owerri to look like onitsha

Na lie . I'm already a citizen. There's nothing you guys can do nothing about it .

@stillwater,
Maybe if you stay put in Anambra, you may end up becoming a first Lady even if it is for 21days or less.

4Him:

Imo? Welcome to the 2nd best state in Nigeria.

4Him, which one is the number 1?
I can read your mind : It is KOGI STATE where I come from. The state of the sacked Gov Ibro. Yaradua preaches the rule of law but we KEEP THE RULE OF LAW.

@Poster
Thats not true.

no way, this cannot be really happening, i hope its just rumors or one bad dream.

Na wa for this country o!!! Thank God am not a Nigerian

when did this happen now?

Is this real or just one of them passing reports that turn out to be rumour and nothing more in the end??

it is very unfortunate that people we expect to be learned are displaying such levels of stupidity. for uba to stoop so low as to challenge the verdict of the s'court shows he aint got no regard for the law and not fit to be governor. bloody clowns!!!

@toshmann how does great city of Onitsha looks like? This is a city that parades the likes of late legends as Great Zik of Africa, Prof. Chike Obi; and Prof Phillip Emeagwali (Father of Internet) and so many giants like that.There is no state that does not have their share of political crises. Its only in a system where you have opposition that you can smell good leadership, like your seeing in Anambra state. Can u compare the largest market in entire black world to a mere owerri Is there anything happening in imo state in form of economic activities except for the siphoners in your government house(the new phase of fraud). What has Ohakim achieved since he came to power. Let him stop painting walls and trees in owerri and a start meaningful development in places like orlu and so on. Can you compare Imo state to Anambra state that has 3 cities as Awka, Onitsha and NNewi, in terms of anything. Ofcourse you and I know that Anambra state suppases your so call imo virtually in everything u can think of. There is over 50% of imo state citizens residing in Onitsha Anambra state; tell me how many Anambrians you will see in imo state. Its clear nothing is happening in imo state, that is why they have the lowest population in Population Census. People doesnt visit imo for any reason. There are few states you can compare Anambra state with, such states as Lagos and Rivers states in terms economic and financial strenght. Anambra remains one of the few states that is being visited massively by all Nigerianns and foreigners alike for one meaningful business or investment; how many time does people visit you so call imo A state that has nothing to show for. Its on record. Anambra state ranks the 3rd in Nigeria after Lagos and Rivers State; and the first in the south east in terms of any meaningful thing you can think about.