JUSTICE OKON ABANG IN THE DOCK
By Osondu Ahirika

Where is Justice Bassey Ikpeme? Do you remember him? Its 23 years ago that his historic ruling snuffed life out of our democracy. A group, the
Association for Better Nigeria, ABN, led by Senator Arthur Nzeribe approached an Abuja High Court judge, Justice Bassey Ikpeme, to shop for an injunction halting the June 12, 1993 Presidential polls, barely 48 hours to the election. He granted it.
The General Ibrahim Babangida military junta relied on that infamous verdict to annul the freest and fairest elections ever held in Nigeria, which ultimately derailed our democracy and spiraled to the death of the unannounced winner, Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola in the gulag. The rest as we say, is, still unfolding history.

Folks', who said the judiciary, the celebrated hope of the common man or the revered 'impartial' judges in her citadel cannot be manipulated for political goals? Then look no further than the U.S.A. for answers.
Since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, on February 12, 2016, a monumental election-year battle has engulfed Washington over
whether President Barack Obama should choose a successor who could tilt the 9 man bench of the American Supreme Court toward liberals.
Within two hours of Scalia’s death being reported, presidential candidates along with Republican and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill were feuding over whether Obama should appoint a replacement for the eloquent and
outspoken Scalia or wait for the next
administration to make a decision. The battle lines underscored the huge political stakes in the 2016 election, which could cement the ideological balance of the court for years to
come.
Obama has nominated Justice Merrick Garland to replace Scalia, but the Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted the next administration should make the appointment and they won't bulge.
It is still hanging and they have refused to screen Obama's nominee.
In Turkey following the recent coup, we are still witnessing the President Reccep Erdogan purge. Close to 80,000 Turkish citizens have been sacked, or detained. In that massive number, 3,000 members of the judiciary have been suspended, including 1,481 judges and 262 military judges and prosecutors. Erdogan says they are politicized.

Back home in Nigeria, Judges are assessed on the basis of the partisan bias of the assessor. Especially, relating to the recent pronouncements on Governorship cases before the judiciary. National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, canvassed for the investigation of Supreme Court
judges. Oyegun made the call when his party lost the Rivers, Abia, and Akwa ibom State Governorship seat to the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP at the Supreme Court. Earlier, when the Elections Petition Tribunals annulled elections in those states, including Taraba, the PDP cried foul and called for probe of the Judiciary. Where either party wins, then the Judiciary is the perfect arbiter. When and where they lose, the judiciary is compromised.
That's the funny terrain where Honourabe justice Okon Abang of the Abuja High Court(like Justice Ikpeme)
is operating, and he is currently in the eye of the storm. Today, yours sincerely puts him in the Dock.

Once again, on July 28, 2016, Justice Abang for the second time, nullified the National Convention held by the PDP on May 21 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
This comes on the heels of the PDP Ahmed Markarfi led Caretaker committee having fixed August 17 for the Natinal Convention of the Party.
Abang contends in a fresh case brought before his court, by disputed National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sherrif, that, the May 21 convention was illegal and that Senator Makarfi’s committee was unlawfully constituted.
Justice Abang hinged his ruling on the fact that, The Lagos division of the Federal High Court, presided by Justice Ibrahim Buba had issued a court order restraining the PDP from conducting election into the offices of its National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor prior to the May 21 convention.
The PDP went ahead to constitute a Caretaker Committee, instead of election, after Sheriff had called off the convention. The case got complicated in that, on June 29, 2016, Justice Valentine Ashi of Court 29 of Abuja High Court issued an order sacking Sheriff as PDP National chair. Ashi ruled that, their claim to office on the basis of the purported amendment to the PDP constitution effected at a special convention held in Abuja on December 10 and 11, 2014 was illegal”.
If PDP thought it was all over, Justice Abang struck again. On July 1, 2016 He ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the governorship candidates from the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction for the upcoming Ondo and Edo State's Governorship Election, technically invalidating the Markarfi exco.
Then on July 4, 2016, respite came again, as Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt upheld the removal of Senator Sheriff and declared that the National Convention that ousted Sheriff was legal. Thence, Liman affirmed Markarfi as authentic PDP chair.
The PDP Wadata secretariat has been under siege and lock down ever since, as the two factions fight with the controversial and conflicting court orders.
As the semblance of progress is made, Abang hammered PDP again with the latest bombshell of july 28, 2016, which has left the party whining in a terse statement signed by Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Member, National Caretaker Committee, stopping short of labeling Abang, an APC judge.
While all these was ongoing, PDP suffered another hit. That was on June 27, 2016. Abang ordered Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia to vacate his office immediately. Justice Abang, gave the order when he delivered a judgment in a case instituted by Samson Ugah of PDP disputing ikpeazu's tax records in a pre election matter.
As we speak, Ugah, who Abang directed should be issued a Certificate of Return with immediate effect, is a Governor awaiting swearing-in. The limbo leaves Abia technically, with two Governors. One sitting, one in abeyance. The case is up for appeal.

As a matter of fact, these are not Justice Abang's first bicker with PDP. Recall that, on March 17, 2016, former PDP Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisah Metuh, who is facing a money laundering/corruption charge before Abang, had petitioned Ibrahim Auta, Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, requesting that his case be transferred to another judge.
Metuh accused Abang, who he said, was his classmate in Law School of bias in the case and giving a majority of his rulings in favour of the prosecutor, the EFCC. That case is still lingering and Abang denied knowing Metuh, even when other mates confirmed that they were classmates.
Away from the PDP, Abang also made the headlines when on September 7, 2013, he annulled the election of
Alhaji Aminu Maigari, as President of the Nigeria Football Federation, after determining that, the process was carried out despite an injunction he issued asking that the elections be put on hold pending the determination of a suit brought before him by the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF).
That ruling sparked a chain of events that caused The FIFA Emergency
Committee of 9 July 2014, to
suspend the NFF, on account of
government interference. Article 13, par. 1 and article 17, par. 1 of the
FIFA Statutes oblige member associations to manage their affairs independently and with no
influence from third parties.
The Federal Government had to prevail on Mrs Rumson Baribote,
the instigator of the court case, to withdraw the suit so that the deadline of July 17 given by FIFA, for a full blown ban would not expire. Nigeria survived it. Should we crucify Abang, not being privy to the evidences and arguments before him in all these cases afforelisted? Should we also infer that, Justice Valentine Ashi and Justice Muhammed Liman who gave favourable rulings to the PDP is the same cases are PDP Judges? Why do we crucify Abang if we do not hang the other two Judges? Is it fair to allege that their hands are tied(apologies to Justice Sowemimo of the Obafemi Awolowo case)?
My only plea is that, Judiciary heed the call of the Chief Justice of the Federation, Mahmud Mohammed, to avoid giving conflicting judgments or entertaining matters in courts of concurrent Jurisdiction.

Folks, that's a litany of Abang's landmark rulings which I aver herein. Appearing In my Dock, I am yet to determine Abang's case of alleged Black Market judgments and hereby adjourn indefinitely.

http://sitippe.com/2016/07/justice-okon-abang-dock/

That man Okon Abang.....

I reserve my comment for now.

[[s]quote author=SirWahl1 post=48007836]JUSTICE OKON ABANG IN THE DOCK
By Osondu Ahirika

Where is Justice Bassey Ikpeme? Do you remember him? Its 23 years ago that his historic ruling snuffed life out of our democracy. A group, the
Association for Better Nigeria, ABN, led by Senator Arthur Nzeribe approached an Abuja High Court judge, Justice Bassey Ikpeme, to shop for an injunction halting the June 12, 1993 Presidential polls, barely 48 hours to the election. He granted it.
The General Ibrahim Babangida military junta relied on that infamous verdict to annul the freest and fairest elections ever held in Nigeria, which ultimately derailed our democracy and spiraled to the death of the unannounced winner, Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola in the gulag. The rest as we say, is, still unfolding history.

Folks', who said the judiciary, the celebrated hope of the common man or the revered 'impartial' judges in her citadel cannot be manipulated for political goals? Then look no further than the U.S.A. for answers.
Since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, on February 12, 2016, a monumental election-year battle has engulfed Washington over
whether President Barack Obama should choose a successor who could tilt the 9 man bench of the American Supreme Court toward liberals.
Within two hours of Scalia’s death being reported, presidential candidates along with Republican and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill were feuding over whether Obama should appoint a replacement for the eloquent and
outspoken Scalia or wait for the next
administration to make a decision. The battle lines underscored the huge political stakes in the 2016 election, which could cement the ideological balance of the court for years to
come.
Obama has nominated Justice Merrick Garland to replace Scalia, but the Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted the next administration should make the appointment and they won't bulge.
It is still hanging and they have refused to screen Obama's nominee.
In Turkey following the recent coup, we are still witnessing the President Reccep Erdogan purge. Close to 80,000 Turkish citizens have been sacked, or detained. In that massive number, 3,000 members of the judiciary have been suspended, including 1,481 judges and 262 military judges and prosecutors. Erdogan says they are politicized.

Back home in Nigeria, Judges are assessed on the basis of the partisan bias of the assessor. Especially, relating to the recent pronouncements on Governorship cases before the judiciary. National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, canvassed for the investigation of Supreme Court
judges. Oyegun made the call when his party lost the Rivers, Abia, and Akwa ibom State Governorship seat to the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP at the Supreme Court. Earlier, when the Elections Petition Tribunals annulled elections in those states, including Taraba, the PDP cried foul and called for probe of the Judiciary. Where either party wins, then the Judiciary is the perfect arbiter. When and where they lose, the judiciary is compromised.
That's the funny terrain where Honourabe justice Okon Abang of the Abuja High Court(like Justice Ikpeme)
is operating, and he is currently in the eye of the storm. Today, yours sincerely puts him in the Dock.

Once again, on July 28, 2016, Justice Abang for the second time, nullified the National Convention held by the PDP on May 21 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
This comes on the heels of the PDP Ahmed Markarfi led Caretaker committee having fixed August 17 for the Natinal Convention of the Party.
Abang contends in a fresh case brought before his court, by disputed National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sherrif, that, the May 21 convention was illegal and that Senator Makarfi’s committee was unlawfully constituted.
Justice Abang hinged his ruling on the fact that, The Lagos division of the Federal High Court, presided by Justice Ibrahim Buba had issued a court order restraining the PDP from conducting election into the offices of its National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor prior to the May 21 convention.
The PDP went ahead to constitute a Caretaker Committee, instead of election, after Sheriff had called off the convention. The case got complicated in that, on June 29, 2016, Justice Valentine Ashi of Court 29 of Abuja High Court issued an order sacking Sheriff as PDP National chair. Ashi ruled that, their claim to office on the basis of the purported amendment to the PDP constitution effected at a special convention held in Abuja on December 10 and 11, 2014 was illegal”.
If PDP thought it was all over, Justice Abang struck again. On July 1, 2016 He ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the governorship candidates from the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction for the upcoming Ondo and Edo State's Governorship Election, technically invalidating the Markarfi exco.
Then on July 4, 2016, respite came again, as Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt upheld the removal of Senator Sheriff and declared that the National Convention that ousted Sheriff was legal. Thence, Liman affirmed Markarfi as authentic PDP chair.
The PDP Wadata secretariat has been under siege and lock down ever since, as the two factions fight with the controversial and conflicting court orders.
As the semblance of progress is made, Abang hammered PDP again with the latest bombshell of july 28, 2016, which has left the party whining in a terse statement signed by Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Member, National Caretaker Committee, stopping short of labeling Abang, an APC judge.
While all these was ongoing, PDP suffered another hit. That was on June 27, 2016. Abang ordered Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia to vacate his office immediately. Justice Abang, gave the order when he delivered a judgment in a case instituted by Samson Ugah of PDP disputing ikpeazu's tax records in a pre election matter.
As we speak, Ugah, who Abang directed should be issued a Certificate of Return with immediate effect, is a Governor awaiting swearing-in. The limbo leaves Abia technically, with two Governors. One sitting, one in abeyance. The case is up for appeal.

As a matter of fact, these are not Justice Abang's first bicker with PDP. Recall that, on March 17, 2016, former PDP Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisah Metuh, who is facing a money laundering/corruption charge before Abang, had petitioned Ibrahim Auta, Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, requesting that his case be transferred to another judge.
Metuh accused Abang, who he said, was his classmate in Law School of bias in the case and giving a majority of his rulings in favour of the prosecutor, the EFCC. That case is still lingering and Abang denied knowing Metuh, even when other mates confirmed that they were classmates.
Away from the PDP, Abang also made the headlines when on September 7, 2013, he annulled the election of
Alhaji Aminu Maigari, as President of the Nigeria Football Federation, after determining that, the process was carried out despite an injunction he issued asking that the elections be put on hold pending the determination of a suit brought before him by the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF).
That ruling sparked a chain of events that caused The FIFA Emergency
Committee of 9 July 2014, to
suspend the NFF, on account of
government interference. Article 13, par. 1 and article 17, par. 1 of the
FIFA Statutes oblige member associations to manage their affairs independently and with no
influence from third parties.
The Federal Government had to prevail on Mrs Rumson Baribote,
the instigator of the court case, to withdraw the suit so that the deadline of July 17 given by FIFA, for a full blown ban would not expire. Nigeria survived it. Should we crucify Abang, not being privy to the evidences and arguments before him in all these cases afforelisted? Should we also infer that, Justice Valentine Ashi and Justice Muhammed Liman who gave favourable rulings to the PDP is the same cases are PDP Judges? Why do we crucify Abang if we do not hang the other two Judges? Is it fair to allege that their hands are tied(apologies to Justice Sowemimo of the Obafemi Awolowo case)?
My only plea is that, Judiciary heed the call of the Chief Justice of the Federation, Mahmud Mohammed, to avoid giving conflicting judgments or entertaining matters in courts of concurrent Jurisdiction.

Folks, that's a litany of Abang's landmark rulings which I aver herein. Appearing In my Dock, I am yet to determine Abang's case of alleged Black Market judgments and hereby adjourn indefinitely.
http://Www.sitippe.com[/quote][/s]

This is nothing but horseshit!

Attacking a judge just because he doesnt suppport your part is not only criminal but quite silly!
First of all Justice Abang was on that seat long before there was anything like APC. So ur allegation that FG installs judges that are favourable to them is baseless.
And I dont see how the judge is suppose to recuse himself just because he attended law school the same year with Metuh. In abuja campus of law school alone there are more than 2000 students. How in God's name is the judge supppose to even know who Metuh is? Or are u saying judges shld now refrain from trying anybody that attended law school, primary school or kindergatten the same year with them


I dont know how much pdp paid u to write this trash. But OP, u shld be ASHAMED of yourself!

it is public knowledge dat okon is working for APC. njc need to look into his cases before he tarnish d judiciary. dat man is a snitch.
black market judge.

Injustice Okon Abang A willing tool in the hand of a destructive and dictatoria leader and his party

Okon Abang is not worthy to be a lawyer talk more of being a justice.

All these PDP small small children have started again o.

Dem no get respect for person papa

Goke7:
All these PDP small small children have started again o.

Dem no get respect for person papa

What is this one saying? Did you take your time to read the post

Injustice Okon Abang is here to destroy our democracy!!!

Injustice Okon Abang is a jst mere tool in the hand progressive werey...

By question here is has PDP lostany case in Rivers State.my answer is No and my point is the judiciary has been compromise..OP I think u are saying ur opinion and its fine.

SirWahl1:
What is this one saying? Did you take your time to read the post

What is there to read in the post of a wailer? if the judgement was the other way round, will the post be here? abegi

Goke7:


What is there to read in the post of a wailer? if the judgement was the other way round, will the post be here? abegi

Can u tell me why the forum shopping to his court whenever the matter has to do with the destruction of PDP? Whatever action instituted before the federal high court to destroy pdp is usually assigned to him

Goke7:


What is there to read in the post of a wailer? if the judgement was the other way round, will the post be here? abegi

I hope you know this is not about a single judgement. Look at all he cases metioned.
The question is why always Injustice Okon Abang