Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has condemned what it termed the ‘hasty judgment’ passed by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court to the effect that former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, should forfeit his 40 landed properties.
Ohanaeze said the haste with which the judgment was passed despite the fact that Ekweremadu was undergoing some travails in the United Kingdom fell short of ethical standards and natural justice.
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze insisted that Ekweremadu should be given the opportunity to defend himself on his properties.
It called on all Nigerian legal luminaries of goodwill to intervene against what it called gradual steps towards totalitarianism.
The statement reads: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo stands on a moral probity to state that a hasty ex parte motion filed by the EFCC on a man who is undergoing some travails in the United Kingdom falls short of ethical standards and natural justice.
“We maintain that Sen. Ike Ekweremadu should be given the opportunity to defend himself on his properties, and if found wanting should surely face the consequences.
“We are aware that there are several allegations of corruption cases pending in the EFCC but the urgency and selective judgment in the case of Ekweremadu is not only curious but indeed true to type.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on all the Nigerian legal luminaries of goodwill to intervene against gradual steps towards totalitarianism.”