Ebonyi Govt debunks allegation of plans to pervert justice in tribunal cases with N1bn

.Insists Gov Nwifuru recorded landslide victory in polls

BY CLEMENT NNACHI (ABAKALIKI)

Ebonyi State Government has denied allegations in some quarters, alledging that it plans to pervert Justice in Tribunal Cases with over N1 billion naira.

The State Commissioner For Information /Orientation Engr Jude Chikadibia Okpor, made the refutal in Abakaliki the State capital on Sunday while briefing newsmen.

Apparently referring to a Press Statement by Mr Paschal Oluchukwu and his Group named “Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio_Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID), that the State Government target to raise a substantial sum of over N1BN to bribe the Tribunal judges in order to procure judgement in their favour.

Engr Okpor stated that Governor Francis Nwifuru, had  no reason to panic over the outcome of the cases in the election Tribunal, as  he was overwhelmingly voted into office alongside other candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

“Ebonyi State Government under the leadership of Governor Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru has never planned to bribe, either directly or by proxy any member of the judiciary or its representative to bend the course of justice”

According to the Commissioner, “the attention of the Ebonyi State government has been drawn to a fictitious guerrilla media outfit singlehandedly operated by one Paschal Oluchukwu who resides in the United Arab Emirate (UAE).

“It is a well-known fact that the Chairman of Ebonyi people living in Kuwait  Mr Luke Anike and the Secretary Mr Onyedikachi Kingdom among others,  had in a letter dated 08/06/2023 distanced themselves and their members from the allegation.

“This clearly shows that Mr Paschal Oluchukwu is not serving the interest of any group of Ebonyi people living anywhere in the world”

The Commissioner described as unfortunate a scenario where politicians who were rejected by the Ebonyi people during the last general elections, could hire a man who was not in Ebonyi State during the elections to make libelous Statements against the Judges of the tribunal and the entire Nigerian judiciary just to score cheap political points.

“The Government of Ebonyi State respects the judiciary and its Lordships, our unshakable confidence in the Nigerian judicial system is not in doubt”

“The majority of Ebonyi people  voted for over 90% of the candidates of APC in the just concluded general elections, it is  needless to go through the backdoor to seek help from anyone against the hammer of justice”

“While the Ebonyi State Government is open to criticism, it considers constructive criticism a veritable tool for good governance, making unfounded and baseless allegations against the present and the immediate past governor is not only infantile but misleading and diversionary”