The Odilis, Katsina-Alu, The Supreme Court And Justice!
Where do injustice, manipulation and oppression start and when will it end? I’m referring to the recently announced elevation of Justice Mary Odili to the Supreme Court. I will not dwell on the propriety of elevating the wife of a contentious figure such as Sir Peter Odili to the highest court in our land but instead focus on an even more infuriating issue.
Justice Mary Odili has been a beneficiary of what power and money can do for a career. Let’s start with her amazing rise from the High Court to the Court of Appeal. Justice Odili came into prominence as the wife of the then Governor Peter Odili and the most scheming judge in the Rivers State Judiciary, what a career she has had! The question in my mind is, how did a woman who occupied the 14th position in the hierarchy of the judiciary in Rivers State jump over her senior peers to be appointed to the Court of Appeal? Is there any logical and fair reason for such an elevation that can stand the transparency test? What was the basis of that extraordinary elevation?
The issue that bothers me is that such unprecedented promotion occurred for Justice Odili and no one complained or brought it to the public domain for condemnation. We kept quiet and accepted it! At that time, Justice Odili’s amazing elevation was said to have been based on the South-East quota or Imo State slot. She manoeuvred her way by using that slot to get to the Court of Appeal.
It’s interesting to note that at the time of Justice Mary Odili’s elevation to the Court of Appeal, her husband was the governor of Rivers State and Justice Chuks Opene (the then Rivers State Court of Appeal candidate) was already in the Court of Appeal, representing the South-East quota. This consequently led Justice Mary Odili to manipulate the system and use the South-East quota to achieve her objective.
History is about to repeat itself and we are at that same point again. Justice Odili and her supporters are again manipulating the system for their personal profit.
There are presently 3 slots at the Supreme Court which need to be filled. They are for the retired Justices Nikki Tobi, Francis Ogbuagu and Peter Aderemi. The slot that Justice Mary Odili has been nominated under is that of Justice Nikki Tobi who represented the South-South slot. Now the question may be, what is wrong with that?
The answer plain and simple is that the system is being manipulated by the forces of cash and power to elevate Justice Odili to the Supreme Court through the South-South slot when, in fact, she was elevated to her present position through the South-East slot.
The manipulation of the system is not done for the interest of the judiciary or the interest of the country. The beneficiaries are the Odilis and their friends behind this unprecedented elevation.
There must be an end to this absolute power of the Odilis. They are succeeding once again to achieve their aim by all means necessary and they have found a willing partner in the most unscrupulous Chief Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and the less than appreciated NJC.
Did Katsina Alu/NJC not know Mary Odili got to the Court of Appeal through the South-East slot? Why would they now recommend her elevation based on the South-South slot? Do other justices not deserve a chance or is due process and fair play only applied when their selfish interests are under threat?
Katsina-Alu and Co. commercialised the judiciary to the extent that we fear it will become irredeemable. We must insist on fair play and justice. The manipulation that got Justice Mary Odili to the Court of Appeal must not be allowed to take her to the Supreme Court.
We say NO!
•Barrister Telemoye
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