The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has demanded that Governor Dave Umahi apologize and retract his statement against the person and judgment of the Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
According to the NBA, Umahi uttered very uncomplimentary adjectives by describing the judgment as “jungle justice” and His Lordship as “a hatchet man”.
NBA President, Olumide Akpata, in a statement, said Umahi’s statement accusing the court of ‘murdering justice’ and declaring the jurisdiction null and void is impunity of the highest order and executive rascality taken too far.
Part of the statement read, “While the NBA has absolutely no interest in the outcome of the case in question and will continue to stay away from partisan politics, it’s inconceivable that this Association that is charged with upholding the rule of law and defending the Judiciary would sit idly by in the face of this unprovoked and totally unwarranted attack on the Judiciary.”
He noted that appropriate measures must be taken to protect the sanctity of the judiciary.
“It’s for this reason that we condemn without equivocation, Gov. Umahi’s unfortunate diatribe, which if it had emanated from an average litigant, would still have been regarded as shocking, but coming from someone who occupies the exalted office of a State Governor, is nothing short of a national embarrassment,” he added.
Apata noted that denigrating the high office of a Judge is disgraceful, undemocratic, and completely unacceptable from a governor.