OPINION: Litigation in the New Abia: What you need to know

Curious about why everyone is heading to court in the New Abia? This thought-provoking opinion dives into the real reasons behind the litigation trend — and it’s not what you think. Click to read the full story now.

 

I’ve seen some folks on the timeline asking:

 

“Why are people rushing to court in this ‘New Abia’? Wasn’t the ‘Old Abia’ quieter? Didn’t opposition have more breathing room back then?”

 

Let’s be clear — that comparison is completely false. In fact, it’s a well-wrapped black lie.

 

In the so-called Old Abia, people didn’t avoid court because there was freedom or fairness. No. They avoided court because many of them had their hands deep inside the communal pot, and they knew that any legal tussle would drag their skeletons into public view.

 

You see, when you approach a court of law, you open yourself to cross-examination. That witness box isn’t a stage for political drama — it’s a legal furnace. If you’ve been dipping into public funds or signing funny contracts, you don’t want to swear an oath and have opposing counsel grill you into a confession.

 

So, what did they do instead?

 

They chose silence. They endured the accusations. Because in their world, the risk of being exposed in court was far greater than the embarrassment of online insults. Better to swallow the insult than face a judge with sharp pen.

 

But this is not the Old Abia.

 

Welcome to the New Abia, where many of the key players — appointees, technocrats, and public servants — have reputations they’ve spent decades building in law, business, medicine, academia, and enterprise. These are people with pedigrees. They didn’t leave successful careers to come and play mud games in politics.

 

Let’s take a real example:

 

About a year ago, someone on the Blue App (you know the one) accused Kenneth Ahia, SAN of shady contracts and corruption. No evidence. Just vibes and gossip. Now, here’s the issue — Ahia is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a legal luminary with national and international clients.

 

You expect him to keep quiet? For what?

 

In the legal world, silence can be interpreted as admission. If those defamatory claims were left unchallenged, it might suggest to international observers that they were true. He did the right thing — he sued. And he was right to.

 

That’s what’s happening in this New Abia.

 

You want to make allegations? You better have your facts.

 

This is no longer a playground for blackmailers and rumour peddlers. This isn’t the era where politicians trembled at the sound of fake news. The people in office now will not hesitate to slap you with a defamation suit that will make you learn Latin overnight.

 

I told a colleague recently:

 

The crop of public officials we have now are not like the ones before. They aren’t career politicians — they’re seasoned professionals. You don’t just wake up and smear them with mud and expect them to fold their arms. Not anymore.

 

So, here’s some free advice:

 

If you want to be part of the opposition in Abia, do it with facts. Bring receipts. Investigate. Publish only what you can defend under oath. If you do that, nobody will sue you.

 

But if you come with lies, half-truths, and social media threats?

 

Nwanne, you go collect. In court. With cost.

 

This is the New Abia. Oppose wisely.

 

 

I am Emenike Iroegbu, from Umuasua in Isuikwuato Local Government Area, a media professional and public affairs analyst