Tensions ran high on Monday at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal during the hearing of State and National Assembly appeal cases from Imo State, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel, Echezona Etiaba (SAN), presented two petitions accusing the three-member panel of being compromised. The allegations led to a dramatic turn of events.
In the letters presented by Etiaba, the APC accused Damian Dodo (SAN), whom they alleged to be counsel for one of the appellants, of serving as a conduit to influence the panel. The panel was led by Justice Danjuma Mohammed, the presiding Judge of Makurdi Division of the Court of Appeal, with other members being Justice Peter Affen from Yola Division and Justice Asmau’u Musa Mainoma, one of the newly appointed justices to the Court of Appeal.
However, it was clarified that Dodo had no association with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or the Labour Party in any of the pre-election cases or the main tribunal in Imo State. Furthermore, he had no prior involvement with any of the parties at the tribunal or the Court of Appeal.
In response to the allegations, the justices asserted their innocence but chose to recuse themselves from the appeals involving Imo State. They stated that they were only made aware of the panel’s composition and the cases they were supposed to preside over just before the court session.
This turn of events left lawyers in attendance visibly upset. All the appeals slated for the day were left unheard, and Etiaba faced strong criticism for presenting unsubstantiated and defamatory petitions. Lawyers called on the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee to investigate the matter and urged the President of the Court of Appeal to ensure that the case is assigned to judges who cannot be compromised.
Ajuonuma Stanley, one of the lawyers present, emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the allegations of bribery made against the justices. He highlighted the disconnect between the allegations and the actual case being heard, pointing out that the appeal in question was related to Okigwe North Federal Constituency, filed by the Labour Party candidate, Chikwem Okafor, rather than the PDP. The need for professionalism and accountability within the legal profession was underscored in the wake of this incident.