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The immediate past chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, has tasked political leaders, especially from the South-East region, to exercise caution in their public comments capable of inciting the public against the judiciary.
Recall that the crisis that has engulfed the APC worsened last week after an Enugu State High Court restrained Barr Ugochukwu Agballah from parading himself as the chairman of the party.
Angered by the development, the APC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, accused the judge of compromise, and vowed that the party would petition the National Judicial Council, NJC.
Meanwhile, reacting to the situation, Nwoye stressed that no individual was above the law, especially leaders who command significant influence.
The erstwhile chairman spoke to journalists at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Enugu Correspondents’ Chapel.
He frowned at the statement by Arodiogbu, pointing out that such comment which seemed to be challenging legal rulings was not good for the nation’s democracy.
He said, “When political leaders assume the role of judges and make statements that defy legal principles, thereby encouraging the public to act outside the law, it becomes a serious issue.
The former APC chairman stressed that as a national vice chairman, Arodiogbu was expected to act as a guiding figure within the party, positing that “it is not within his right or discretion to unilaterally interpret constitutional matters.
He charged APC leaders, irrespective of their affiliations, to be more responsible in their public discourse and comments.
The APC chieftain also called on security operatives to heighten their vigilance and ensure proper protection around the acting chairman of the APC in the state, Chief Alphonsus Nwafor, as well as the Enugu High Court presiding judge who issued the injunction, and all APC properties in the state.
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