Stop Distracting Our Son, It’s Politically Motivated’ — Abia Leaders Hail Appeal Court Judgement Dismissing Retrial Of Orji Kalu

Prominent leaders from the 17 local government areas of Abia state—comprising of traditional and community leaders, youths, students and women have applauded the decision of the Appeal Court upholding the decision of Federal High Court dismissing the retrial of the former governor of Abia state and lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Orji Uzor Kalu.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Wednesday struck out an appeal seeking a retrial of a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, over charges of N7.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal said the records of proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja were not properly compiled and transmitted to the appellate court for adjudication.

Delivering the lead judgement on Wednesday, Joseph Oyewole, referencing the Court of Appeal procedural rules and section 104 of the Evidence Act, said it was mandatory for a public officer in custody of the records of the trial court’s proceedings to certify at the foot of such documents that were tendered before the court.

“The Court of Appeal cannot adjudicate on a case whose records of appeal were not properly transmitted. The record of appeal is incompetent. The appeal is hereby struck out,” Mr Oyewole said.

Reacting to the judgement, a community leader and president of a think-tank group, Abia North Peace Foundation, Chief Nnanna Ukaegbu urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to end the trial, describing it as politically motivated.

“It is time to stop distracting our son. He is the best product from Abia State in terms of service to our people. Remember, this is someone that spent over a billion naira from his pocket funding the PDP in 1999 and even used his money to run Abia state—when he came in into office as the governor of Abia State. It is time for the EFCC and those wanting him to go down to put an end to this trial. It is politically motivated,” he said.

Similarly, a group of senior lawyers, elders, academics and opinion leaders in a unanimous decision on Wednesday signed by Prof. Nwadinaobi Ugochukwu Esomono, Dr. Lawrence Ubani, ESV Olekanma, Mrs Chiamaka Joyce Onubogu, Pastor Caleb Awa and Dr. Idika Kalu commended the decision of the Appeal Court.

The leaders said: “The unsuccessful third term bid of then President Olusegun Obasanjo precipitated the witch-hunting of our son—judging by the critical role played by him in stopping the third term bid of Obasanjo.
This was exactly what made the then President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as the political tool to witch-hunt our son, because the then President aforementioned, whose tumultuous tenure was about to end because he was not successful in getting the illegal third term that he very much sought after, was actually seeking for imaginary political enemies to pull down and so he thought Orji Uzor Kalu was his perfect prey.

“Unfortunately, the EFCC led persecution which the government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo started has lingered and even when it has become so clear that it was purely a political vendetta and a malicious prosecution as established by both the nation’s apex Court and the Federal High Court, the EFCC which appears to be playing the political game of some selfish and desperately power hungry powerful office holders, has continued with the malicious prosecution by instituting a needless appeal against the well considered and well articulated judgment of the Federal High Court that barred the EFCC from prosecuting Orji Uzor Kalu over the so called charges bothering on the disappearance of N7 billion from Abia State treasury.

“The world must know that it is all about politics and the wicked desire of few elements from other parts of the country to destroy successful Igbo sons and daughters. It is time to stop distracting our son. It is time to allow him continue with the numerous giant strides we are currently witnessing in Abia North Senatorial District, and other parts of the state.”