Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the aegis of, Concerned Abia State APC Stakeholders, have alleged that Justice Benson Anya of the Abia State High Court, has connived with some faction stalwarts to truncate a peaceful democratic process ahead of the 2023 general election.
This was contained in a petition addressed to the Chief Judge, Abia State Judiciary and signed by Cosmos Ifegwu and Surveyor Festus Egbulefu.
According to the stakeholders, Justice Anya have continued to give judgement to only favor Chief Ikechi Emenike, Hon. Nkeiru Onyejeocha, and other faction members in the tussle for the soul of the APC in Abia State.
They called on the Chief Judge to ‘control the excesses of Justice Anya ‘by applying strictly, the extant judicial directives handed down by the National Judicial Council and your lordship’s office to all presiding judges in Nigeria, including Abia State”.
The petition read;
CONCERNED ABIA STATE APC STAKEHOLDERS
No. 38 Azikiwe Road, Umuahia, Abia State
May 23, 2022
The Chief Judge,
Abia State Judiciary,
Judiciary Headquarters,
Umuahia,
Abia State.
My Lord,
RE: JUSTICE BENSON ANYA’S INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) IN ABIA STATE
We write to your lordship as concerned Abia APC members desirous of a fair and just democratic process in the selection and choice of APC candidates in the forthcoming 2023 general elections
We have observed with keen interest the sustained romance between Justice Benson Anya and some stalwarts of a faction of the APC in Abia State as exemplified, in the persons of Chief Ikechi Emenike and Hon. Nkeiru Onyejeocha.
It is of public knowledge that there are two (2) factions of the APC in Abia State. One under the headship of Senator Chris Adihije and Hon. Acho Obioma and the other led by Chief Ikechi Emenike and Hon. Ononogbo.
For the past one (1) year or more, Justice Benson Anya has made himself a tool in the hands of Chief Ikechi Emenike, whereby he has been churning out judgments and rulings from his Court, most of them contrived, in order to protect the interests of Chief Ikechi Emenike and Hon. Nkeiru Onyejeocha, in the tussle for the soul of the APC in Abia State.
Most of these judgments and rulings from Justice Benson Anya’s Court have gone as far as arresting ongoing proceedings in other High Court’s or rendering nugatory judgments already delivered in favour of interests not favorable to Chief Ikechi Emenike and his group. We will on request make available a schedule of these judgments and rulings, which often times Justice Benson Anya has denied the general public access to Court records, even on application.
We do know that your lordship may not be able to apply full disciplinary measures on Justice Benson Anya, but can control his excesses by applying strictly the extant judicial directives handed down by the National Judicial Council and your lordship’s office to all presiding judges in Nigeria, including Abia State.
We will no longer tolerate any act of meddlesomeness by Justice Benson Anya in any guise whatsoever, in the activities of the APC in Abia State, using the device of his office. We will stop at nothing, including dragging him to the National Judicial Council, civil rights and human rights organizations and even the court of public opinion on his activities towards truncating the smooth and democratic journey towards the 2023 general elections.
We sincerely hope that your lordship will act swiftly by drawing Justice Benson Anya’s notice to this letter and checking his excesses, in the interest of the citizens of Abia State, especially concerned APC members who bear the brunt of his illegal actions.
Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.
Yours faithfully,
COSMOS IFEGWU
SURV. FESTUS EGBULEFU
