Dr. Opara & Secondus Accuse Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo Of FHC Of Misconduct In Separate Petitions To NJC, Call For His Dismissal
Two prominent figures, Dr. Austin A. Opara and Prince Uche Secondus, have leveled allegations of judicial misconduct against Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, in separate petitions dated May 2, 2024, addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council.
Dr. Opara’s petition pertains to Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/438/2024, where Justice Ekwo allegedly issued an ex parte order on April 5, 2024, barring him from attending Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) statutory meetings. Opara claims he was denied a fair hearing, the court lacked jurisdiction over the party’s internal affairs, and the plaintiff lacked legal standing.
Dr. Opara claims he was denied a fair hearing, as he was not given the opportunity to present evidence qualifying him to attend the meetings. He also asserts that the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter, as it concerned the internal affairs of a political party.
Furthermore, Dr. Opara alleges that the plaintiff, Chisa Amadi, lacked legal standing to file the suit, being only a ward officer and not a member of the party’s caucus, BOT, or NEC. He contends that the ex parte order breached his constitutional right to freedom of association and was issued in a conspiratorial manner, disregarding instructions from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
In his petition, Dr. Opara accuses Justice Ekwo of deliberately infringing upon his rights, inflicting long-lasting injury to his person and name, and showing disrespect for the Court of Appeal. He argues that the judge’s actions demonstrate a lack of belief in the observance of his judicial oath.
Consequently, Dr. Opara is calling for Justice Ekwo’s dismissal from service as a Judge of the Federal High Court, deeming him unfit to hold the position due to the alleged misconduct.
Similarly, Prince Secondus’ petition centers around Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/440/2024, where Justice Ekwo issued an ex parte order barring him from attending PDP meetings. Secondus claims he was denied a hearing, the court overreached its jurisdiction, and the plaintiff lacked standing.
Prince Secondus claims that he was denied a fair hearing, as Justice Ekwo refused to hear him before issuing the injunctive order. He asserts that had he been given a hearing, he would have presented evidence qualifying him to attend the meetings and shown that, according to the PDP constitution, all suspensions have a validity period of 30 days or one month.
Furthermore, Prince Secondus argues that the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter, as it pertained to the internal affairs of a political party. He also contends that the plaintiff, Titus Jones, lacked legal standing to file the suit, being only a ward officer and not a member of the party’s caucus, BOT, or NEC.
The petition alleges that the ex parte order breached Prince Secondus’ constitutional right to freedom of association and was issued in a conspiratorial manner, disregarding instructions from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to refrain from issuing ex parte orders on political cases and to hear cases in the jurisdictions where they originated.
Prince Secondus accuses Justice Ekwo of deliberate infractions, inflicting long-lasting injury on his person and name, and showing disrespect for the Court of Appeal. He argues that the judge’s actions demonstrate a lack of belief in the observance of his judicial oath.
Consequently, Prince Secondus is calling for Justice Ekwo’s dismissal from service as a Judge of the Federal High Court, deeming him unfit to hold the position due to the alleged misconduct.
Meanwhile, Chidi Odinkalu, a prominent figure, has raised concerns about the Chief Justice’s impartiality in handling these cases, as he has allegedly declared partisanship towards Governor Wike, a key figure in the PDP crisis.
