A former Inspector General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro has described reports of court order barring him from the recently concluded election of Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a hoax.
He urged the media to be wary of information they feed the public.
The ex-IGP, who spoke during a media briefing in Port Harcourt, explained that what the media showed the world was false, deceitful and misleading.
He said he fell for it because he is law abiding.
Salient Times recalls that Okiro had announced his withdrawal from the election, citing the reported court order
However, addressing the media on Sunday, he said: “In the evening of Tuesday 7th January, 2025 my attention was drawn to a media news where it was said that I was barred from the election into the post of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo by a court order issued at Enugu High Court.
“I engaged my lawyer to obtain a copy of the court order/process and proceed to vacate the said order. By the close of work on Wednesday 8th January, 2025, the lawyer did not succeed due to shortage of time. On Thursday 9th January, 2025 I had to address the press to say that I was stepping aside in compliance with the court injunction to encourage Nigerians to be law abiding and obey constituted authorities viz-a-viz the courts.
“Later in the day I went for screening based on the fact that my lawyer was still struggling to set aside the order, that if he succeeds by Friday 10th January, 2025 I would take part in the election.
“The panel refused to screen me basing their decision on the said court order.”
“I submitted two copies of my press conference to the screening committee and left the premises.
“By the close of work on Friday 10th January, 2025 my Lawyer was able to obtain the court proceedings while the election had been concluded without me.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Ndigbo worldwide, my supporters, Nigerians, there was no court order at all in the court proceedings. NO COURT ORDER BARRING ME FROM THE ELECTION”.
“What the media showed the world was false, deceitful and misleading and I fell into it because i am law abiding.The fact as contained in the court process which my lawyer obtained from the High Court of Enugu State of Nigeria presided over by Honourable Justice N.R. Oji are:
“Comrade Chimenu Amadi filed a suit seeking the order of the court to bar me from the screening and from the election as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The Respondents were Ohanaeze Ndigbo and five others including me.
The lawyer was seeking for a court order in Motion Ex-parte dated and filled on Monday 6th January, 2025. On Tuesday 7th January, 2025 the court sat and granted leave to the Applicants to serve the Respondents.
“Two days were given the Applicants between service and hearing the motion on Notice by the Court. The motion was fixed for hearing on Friday 10th January, 2025.
“Some friends, well-wishers and even some enemies are deriding me for obeying the court order, an action which is not normal in Nigeria.
“My concern has been that Orders are Orders, especially coming from constituted authority and must be obeyed no matter the consequences.
I did not know the court order I saw in the press was a hoax; I obeyed and missed the election. The screening committee also denied me the screening process based on the said court order.
“I employ the police to utilize Section 125(A) of the Criminal Code Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and deal with the criminal issue of false information.
“The Nigerian Bar Association should discipline the lawyer for trading false information from a court aimed at misleading Nigerians and diminishing the credibility of the Judiciary.
“The Nigerian media should beware of the information they feed to the public. Nigerians themselves should be wary of what they read and believe.
“I want to congratulate Senator John Mbata on his election and pledge my unalloyed support for the progress and advancement of Ndigbo worldwide.”
