Don’t Politicise Okoro’s Visit to Benin, Says Ubani
By Our Reporter
BENIN CITY — Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has cautioned against politicising the recent visit of Honourable Justice Inyang Okoro, JSC, CFR, to Benin City, describing as baseless the rumours linking the trip to the pending Edo State governorship appeal.
In a statement issued on Friday, Ubani debunked social media reports alleging that Justice Okoro travelled to Benin to engage in political consultations or inflDon’t Politicise Okoro’s Visit to Benin, Ubani tells critics
BBCuence any judicial outcome. He clarified that the Justice was in the city purely for a private, social event — the burial of the mother of his close friend, Mr. Hannibal Uwaifo, former President of the African Bar Association.
“I know for a fact that Honourable Justice Okoro was in Benin at the invitation of Mr. Uwaifo to attend the burial ceremonies of his late mother, Mrs. Caroline Uwaifo,” Ubani said. “I was involved in organising the events and attended every aspect of the funeral, including the service of songs on Thursday, June 12, and the funeral service on Friday, June 13. Justice Okoro’s presence was known and public.”
Ubani described attempts to link the visit to the forthcoming Supreme Court hearing on the Edo governorship election as “asinine” and politically motivated. “It makes no sense to allege that a sitting Justice left Abuja to lobby for a position on a panel that hasn’t even been constituted by the Chief Justice of Nigeria,” he said.
He questioned the intent behind the allegations, suggesting that they may be a preemptive tactic to exclude Justice Okoro from the appeal panel. “Is this an effort by certain actors to block His Lordship from sitting on the panel out of fear of his impartiality? Is this part of a wider plot to undermine judicial integrity?” he asked.
Ubani also commended the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Samson Osagie, for publicly refuting the claims. “Dr. Osagie clearly stated that he did not meet with any judicial officer, putting a lie to the reports,” he noted.
The senior lawyer criticised the deliberate omission of the real reason for Justice Okoro’s presence in Benin by those pushing the false narrative. “His Lordship did not sneak into the city. He attended the burial ceremonies openly. That those peddling these rumours ignored this fact shows their true intent — to smear,” Ubani added.
Expressing surprise at the silence of Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a mutual friend of Mr. Uwaifo, Ubani said he expected better. “Prof. Odinkalu should have confirmed the facts with Hannibal before lending weight to misleading narratives,” he said.
Don’t Politicise Okoro’s Visit to Benin, Says Ubani
By Our Reporter
BENIN CITY — Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has cautioned against politicising the recent visit of Honourable Justice Inyang Okoro, JSC, CFR, to Benin City, describing as baseless the rumours linking the trip to the pending Edo State governorship appeal.
In a statement issued on Friday, Ubani debunked social media reports alleging that Justice Okoro travelled to Benin to engage in political consultations or influence any judicial outcome. He clarified that the Justice was in the city purely for a private, social event — the burial of the mother of his close friend, Mr. Hannibal Uwaifo, former President of the African Bar Association.
“I know for a fact that Honourable Justice Okoro was in Benin at the invitation of Mr. Uwaifo to attend the burial ceremonies of his late mother, Mrs. Caroline Uwaifo,” Ubani said. “I was involved in organising the events and attended every aspect of the funeral, including the service of songs on Thursday, June 12, and the funeral service on Friday, June 13. Justice Okoro’s presence was known and public.”
Ubani described attempts to link the visit to the forthcoming Supreme Court hearing on the Edo governorship election as “asinine” and politically motivated. “It makes no sense to allege that a sitting Justice left Abuja to lobby for a position on a panel that hasn’t even been constituted by the Chief Justice of Nigeria,” he said.
He questioned the intent behind the allegations, suggesting that they may be a preemptive tactic to exclude Justice Okoro from the appeal panel. “Is this an effort by certain actors to block His Lordship from sitting on the panel out of fear of his impartiality? Is this part of a wider plot to undermine judicial integrity?” he asked.
Ubani also commended the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Samson Osagie, for publicly refuting the claims. “Dr. Osagie clearly stated that he did not meet with any judicial officer, putting a lie to the reports,” he noted.
The senior lawyer criticised the deliberate omission of the real reason for Justice Okoro’s presence in Benin by those pushing the false narrative. “His Lordship did not sneak into the city. He attended the burial ceremonies openly. That those peddling these rumours ignored this fact shows their true intent — to smear,” Ubani added.
Expressing surprise at the silence of Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a mutual friend of Mr. Uwaifo, Ubani said he expected better. “Prof. Odinkalu should have confirmed the facts with Hannibal before lending weight to misleading narratives,” he said.
Ubani concluded by urging legal practitioners and the public to resist the growing trend of unfounded attacks on juDon’t Politicise Okoro’s Visit to Benin, Ubani tells critics
BENIN CITY — Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has cautioned against politicising the recent visit of Honourable Justice Inyang Okoro, JSC, CFR, to Benin City, describing as baseless the rumours linking the trip to the pending Edo State governorship appeal.
In a statement, Ubani debunked social media reports alleging that Justice Okoro travelled to Benin to engage in political consultations or influence any judicial outcome.
He clarified that the Justice was in the city purely for a private, social ecloseo the burial of the mother of his close friend, Mr. Hannibal Uwaifo, former President of the African Bar Association.
“I know for a fact that Honourable Justice Okoro was in Benin at the invitation of Mr. Uwaifo to attend the burial ceremonies of his late mother, Mrs. Caroline Uwaifo,” Ubani said.
“I was involved in organising the events and attended every aspect of the funeral, including the service of songs on Thursday, June 12, and the funeral service on Friday, June 13. Justice Okoro’s presence was known and public.”
Ubani described attempts to link the visit to the forthcoming Supreme Court hearing on the Edo governorship election as “asinine” and politically motivated.
“It makes no sense to allege that a sitting Justice left Abuja to lobby for a position on a panel that hasn’t even been constituted by the Chief Justice of Nigeria,” he said.
He questioned the intent behind the allegations, suggesting that they may be a preemptive tactic to exclude Justice Okoro from the appeal panel.
“Is this an effort by certain actors to block His Lordship from sitting on the panel out of fear of his impartiality? Is this part of a wider plot to undermine judicial integrity?” he asked.
Ubani also commended the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Samson Osagie, for publicly refuting the claims. “Dr. Osagie clearly stated that he did not meet with any judicial officer, putting a lie to the reports,” he noted.
The senior lawyer criticised the deliberate omission of the real reason for Justice Okoro’s presence in Benin by those pushing the false narrative.
“His Lordship did not sneak into the city. He attended the burial ceremonies openly. That those peddling these rumours ignored this fact shows their true intent — to smear,” Ubani added.
Expressing surprise at the silence of Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a mutual friend of Mr. Uwaifo, Ubani said he expected better. “Prof. Odinkalu should have confirmed the facts with Hannibal before lending weight to misleading narratives,” he said.
Ubani concluded by urging legal practitioners and the public to resist the growing trend of unfounded attacks on judicial officers.
“We must protect the dignity of our judiciary. Turning every private engagement of a judge into a political conspiracy is reckless and dangerous. Justice Okoro’s visit was personal and should not be politicised,” he said.
dicial officers. “We must protect the dignitDon’t Politicise Okoro’s Visit to Benin, Ubani tells critics
BENIN CITY — Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has cautioned against politicising the recent visit of Honourable Justice Inyang Okoro, JSC, CFR, to Benin City, describing as baseless the rumours linking the trip to the pending Edo State governorship appeal.
In a statement, Ubani debunked social media reports alleging that Justice Okoro travelled to Benin to engage in political consultations or influence any judicial outcome.
He clarified that the Justice was in the city purely for a private, social ecloseo the burial of the mother of his close friend, Mr. Hannibal Uwaifo, former President of the African Bar Association.
“I know for a fact that Honourable Justice Okoro was in Benin at the invitation of Mr. Uwaifo to attend the burial ceremonies of his late mother, Mrs. Caroline Uwaifo,” Ubani said.
“I was involved in organising the events and attended every aspect of the funeral, including the service of songs on Thursday, June 12, and the funeral service on Friday, June 13. Justice Okoro’s presence was known and public.”
Ubani described attempts to link the visit to the forthcoming Supreme Court hearing on the Edo governorship election as “asinine” and politically motivated.
“It makes no sense to allege that a sitting Justice left Abuja to lobby for a position on a panel that hasn’t even been constituted by the Chief Justice of Nigeria,” he said.
He questioned the intent behind the allegations, suggesting that they may be a preemptive tactic to exclude Justice Okoro from the appeal panel.
“Is this an effort by certain actors to block His Lordship from sitting on the panel out of fear of his impartiality? Is this part of a wider plot to undermine judicial integrity?” he asked.
Ubani also commended the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Samson Osagie, for publicly refuting the claims. “Dr. Osagie clearly stated that he did not meet with any judicial officer, putting a lie to the reports,” he noted.
The senior lawyer criticised the deliberate omission of the real reason for Justice Okoro’s presence in Benin by those pushing the false narrative.
“His Lordship did not sneak into the city. He attended the burial ceremonies openly. That those peddling these rumours ignored this fact shows their true intent — to smear,” Ubani added.
Expressing surprise at the silence of Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a mutual friend of Mr. Uwaifo, Ubani said he expected better. “Prof. Odinkalu should have confirmed the facts with Hannibal before lending weight to misleading narratives,” he said.
Ubani concluded by urging legal practitioners and the public to resist the growing trend of unfounded attacks on judicial officers.
“We must protect the dignity of our judiciary. Turning every private engagement of a judge into a political conspiracy is reckless and dangerous. Justice Okoro’s visit was personal and should not be politicised,” he said.
y of our judiciary. Turning every private engagement of a judge into a political conspiracy is reckless and dangerous. Justice Okoro’s visit was personal and should not be politicised,” he said.
Ubani concluded by urging legal practitioners and the public to resist the growing trend of unfounded attacks on judicial officers. “We must protect the dignity of our judiciary. Turning every private engagement of a judge into a political conspiracy is reckless and dangerous. Justice Okoro’s visit was personal and should not be politicised,” he said.
