A candidate in the just concluded Ohaneze Ndigbo election and former Inspector General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro has said that the court order barring him from the Ohaneze Ndigbo was a hoax.
The former IGP, who addressed newsmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday, explained that what was shown to the world was false, deceitful and misleading.
He said He fell for it because he is law abiding.
According to him, “In the evening of January, 2025, my attention was drawn to a news item where it was said that I was barred from the election into the post of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo by a court order issued by an Enugu High Court.
“I engaged my lawyer to obtain a copy of the court order/process and proceed to vacate the said order. By the close of work on January 8, 2025, the lawyer did not succeed due to shortage of time. On January 9, 2025, I had to address the press to say that I was stepping aside in compliance with the court injunction to encourage Nigerians to be law abiding and obey constituted authorities viz-a-viz the courts.
“Later in the day, I went for screening based on the fact that my lawyer was still struggling to set aside the order, that if he succeeds by January 10, 2025, I will take part in the election.
“The panel refused to screen me basing their decision on the said court order.
“I submitted two copies of my press conference to the screening committee and left the premises.
By the close of work on January 10, 2025, my lawyer was able to obtain the court proceedings while the election had been concluded without me.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Ndigbo worldwide, my supporters, Nigerians, there was no court order at all in the court proceedings. No court bared me from the election.
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“What was published in media and shown to the world was false, deceitful and misleading and I fell for it because I am law abiding. The fact as contained in the court process which my lawyer obtained from the High Court of Enugu State presided over by Justice N. Oji are:
“Chimenu Amadi filed a suit seeking an order of the court to bar me from the screening and from the election as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The respondents were Ohanaeze Ndigbo and five others including myself. The lawyer was seeking for an order of court in the motion ex-parte dated and filled on January 6, 2025. On January 7, 2025, the court sat and granted leave to the applicants to serve the respondents. Two days were given the applicants within which to service and hearing the motion on notice by the court. The motion was fixed for January 10, 2025.
“Some friends, well-wishers and even some enemies are deriding me for obeying the court order, an action which is not normal in Nigeria.
“My concern has been that orders of court must be obeyed no matter the consequences. I did not know thsy the court order I saw in the press was a hoax. I obeyed and missed the election. The screening committee also denied me the screening process based on the said court order.
” I employ the police to utilize Section 125(A) of the Criminal Code Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and deal with the criminal issue of false information.
“The Nigerian Bar Association should discipline the lawyer for trading false information from a court aimed at misleading Nigerians and diminishing the credibility of the Judiciary.
“The media should beware of the information they feed to the public. Nigerians themselves should be wary of what they read and believe.
” I want to congratulate Senator John Mbata on his election and pledge my unalloyed support for the progress and advancement of Ndigbo worldwide,” he said.
