Chief Justice Edgie Njoku has announced his decision to accept the Supreme Court’s judgment that removed him from his post as national president of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The judgment, handed down on Wednesday, declared Sylvester Ezeokenwa the rightful national president of APGA, effectively ending the protracted leadership dispute that has plagued the party for years.
Earlier, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had barred Njoku from becoming APGA president, saying there was no valid court order recognizing his leadership.
The court also ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) erred in recognizing Njoku’s faction.
Dissatisfied with this decision, Mr Njoku appealed to the Supreme Court, which dismissed the case as frivolous and imposed a fine of £20 million on each of the three charges.
At a press conference in Abuja, Njoku expressed his commitment to the rule of law and stressed the importance of respecting Supreme Court decisions.
“Everyone who knows me knows that I believe in the rule of law and class society. There has to be a hierarchy in any institution. The hierarchy of the Nigerian judiciary is the Supreme Court is.
“We in Nigeria must learn that when the Supreme Court speaks, we must follow it no matter what.
“We have to be a country of law and order. You cannot change things in your favor just because you are uncomfortable with it. “We can’t let things happen as we see fit. We have to follow the system,” he said.
Despite the setback, Mr Njoku reaffirmed his dedication to democracy and unity and vowed to ensure peace within the party and within the country.
He expressed confidence in the power of the grassroots to elect leaders and predicted that voters in Anambra State would make their voices heard in the next election.
Njoku commended the Supreme Court for upholding judicial integrity and commended Anambra residents for peacefully accepting the judgment.
“We will do everything in our power to bring peace to this country of Nigeria.
“But one thing I promise you is that the voice of the people will never be silenced. The people of Anambra State will have a voice in the next election and their voice will be heard loud and clear. .
“At the end of the day, the Supreme Court has spoken and I truly believe that the Chief Justice of Nigeria has made it clear on many occasions that there should be integrity in the judiciary.
“I have no intention of doing so, and I will not be a pig’s clog. “We cannot, and we do not intend to,” he said.
He also acknowledged the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, despite the faction’s past criticism of the commission.
Finally, Mr. Njoku expressed the hope that the end of the legal battle will allow APGA to focus on internal democracy and future progress.
