…..demands fairness, impartiality in Kanu’s trial
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA– Perturbed by the rising level of insecurity in the country, the umbrella body of Igbo lawyers, Otu Oka-Iwu, Abuja branch, has urged the National Assembly to prioritize amendment of Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to allow for State Police.
The group, in a world press conference it held in Abuja, further implored Governors of the South-East States to speak and act with a unified voice on matters of security and development, putting the welfare of Ndi Igbo above politics.
In a statement that was signed by its President, Sir. Chidi Udekwe, the association decried what it termed as “overcentralisation of security without adequate funding and personnel,” stressing urgent need for constitutional reform to establish state police to tackle banditry in the North-West, insurgency in the North-East, headers violent attacks and kidnaping in the South-East.
The legal body said it was equally concerned about the erosion of public trust in major democratic institutions, including the judiciary, the electoral process, and law enforcement agencies.
It described the ongoing trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, as a litmus test for the judiciary which it said must handle the case with fairness and impartiality.
“On Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s trial, Otu Oka-lwu Abuja reiterates call for due process and constitutional compliance and notes the recent development in the terrorism trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the Federal Government has formally closed its case after calling five witnesses.
“We view this as a crucial moment for the judiciary and the constitutional order. The use of state power in politically sensitive prosecutions must remain bound by legal thresholds of evidence, not public sentiment or political convenience.
“We wish to recall that the Court of Appeal in October 2022 discharged
Mazi Kanu of all charges, and though that ruling was controversially circumvented by refiled counts, the current proceedings must not become a cycle of protracted detention without conviction.
“Our position remains as follows, that rule of Law must prevail and we call on the Federal Government and the judiciary to uphold Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the presumption of innocence and the right to fair hearing.
“Court orders must be obeyed because disregard for appellate judgments does not speak well about our justice system.
“The outcome of this phase of trial must be based solely on evidence not an after thought political considerations which we state that regardless of the proceedings at the FHC is still an option that will ultimately promote peace and unity.
“Indeed, this moment demands sober reflection and principled commitment to justice. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s trial should not be a referendum on ethnicity or dissent, but a test of whether the judiciary can once again rise above pressure and apply the law impartially,” it added.
Meanwhile, the association commended the Federal Government for the establishment of the South East Development Commission, SEDC, which it said marked a significant step towards addressing long-neglected infrastructure and socio-economic development challenges of the South-East geopolitical zone.
“With its mandate to coordinate federal intervention projects, restore critical infrastructure, and promote equitable growth in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States, the SEDC is a long-overdue vehicle for justice, reconciliation, and national cohesion.
“There are however, some current concerns despite being operational and domiciled in Enugu State, the SEDC has yet to receive equitable subvention, dedicated statutory funding, or the scale of mobilization afforded to comparable regional development commissions.
“The SouthEast, despite its vibrant economic output and deep contributions to Nigeria’s development, continues to suffer from federal underinvestment, and deteriorating federal infrastructure, particularly in road construction.
“We note that Nigeria’s federal character demands fair treatment of all zones in the allocation of national resources. Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution emphasizes equitable distribution of resources and appointments across Nigeria’s constituent parts, including developmental institutions.
“The South-East remains the only zone significantly impacted by a post-war reconstruction gap. A fully funded SEDC is a moral imperative to correct this historical imbalance.
“We therefore call on the Federal Government, Ministry of Finance, and the National Assembly to establish and Gazette a Statutory Funding for the SEDC, including annual federal budgetary allocation, Special intervention funds and to ensure parity with similar Commissions by making SEDC a statutory beneficiary of national development levies, mandating federal MDAs to integrate SEDC in capital project planning for the South-East
“A fully funded SEDC is not a regional favour, it is a constitutional and developmental necessity. The South-East deserves more than ceremonial acknowledgment; it deserves committed investment in the dignity and potential of its people.
“Otu Oka-lwu urges the relevant institutions to take immediate action and deliver on the promises of equity and national unity,” it further stated.
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