The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has reacted to the Supreme Court’s nullification of the conviction of a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu.
Also nullified was the judgement against his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and Account of Abia State Government.
The apex court ordered their fresh trial at the lower court.
DAILY POST had reported that Kalu was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment over N7.16 billion fraud by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on December 5.
Justice Mohammed Idris had convicted Kalu on a 39 count of N7.2 billion fraud and money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
However, on Friday, the Supreme Court gave a fresh order, stopping the judgment.
Justice Amina Augie, who led a seven-man panel of Justices, held that the trial Justice, Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction.
However, OYC, in a statement signed by Comrade Obinna Achionye and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, Deputy President General and Secretary-General respectively and made available to reporters on Saturday, cautioned that Kalu should desist from smearing the image of Abia State government but enter into plea bargaining with Economic and Finance Crime Commission(EFCC) and return all stolen money allegedly accused of him to the coffers of Abia State Government and forfeit alleged properties acquired illegally from Abia State, back to the state government.
This, according to Ohanaeze youths, was the only way for him to be totally free from the hook of EFCC net as posterity will be kind to him.
The Igbo group also described Senator Orji Kalu’s travails as a political lesson that will help and restore him for the task ahead.
“Orji Kalu must have learnt his lessons and should exhibit those transformative qualities that will endear him to Nigerians as the “New Mandela of Africa. He should rise up above party politics and loyalty and support every collective commitment and interests of Igbos as it will heal the wounds of his past and perceived misdeeds done in error.
“Ndigbo had been at crossroads without a political rallying point, since the demise of Igbos legends, “Dim Chukwuemeka Odiegwu Ojukwu, Former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Col Joe Achuzie and Justice Ezebuilo Ozobu”.
“It’s also a known fact that the Supreme Court ruling that quashed the conviction of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu was as the collaborative persuasive pressure from groups and stakeholders to ensure that the maverick Senator should regain control of his freedom,” OYC posited.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has reacted to the Supreme Court’s nullification of the conviction of a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, in a statement noted that the court based its verdict on the grounds that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Kalu and others had been elevated to the Court of Appeal before the judgement and returned to the lower court to deliver the judgement, which it considered illegal.