The immediate past chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, has enjoined political leaders, especially from the South-East region, to exercise caution in their public comments capable of inciting the public against the judiciary.
DAILY POST recalls that the crisis rocking the APC worsened last week as an Enugu State High Court restrained Barr Ugochukwu Agballah from parading himself as the chairman of the party.
But infuriated by the development, the APC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, accused the judge of compromise, and vowed that the party would petition the National Judicial Council, NJC.
Reacting, Nwoye emphasized that no individual was above the law, especially leaders who command significant influence.
The former chairman spoke to journalists at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Enugu Correspondents’ Chapel.
He frowned at the statement by Arodiogbu, pointing out that such comment which seemed to be challenging legal rulings was not good for the nation’s democracy.
According to him, “When political leaders assume the role of judges and make statements that defy legal principles, thereby encouraging the public to act outside the law, it becomes a serious issue.
“Obeying the law should not be conditional or based on personal interests; it is a duty we must uphold regardless of whose interests are at stake.”
The former APC chairman equally harped that as a national vice chairman, Arodiogbu was expected to act as a guiding figure within the party, positing that “it is not within his right or discretion to unilaterally interpret constitutional matters.
“The court has already ruled that Ugochukwu Agballah and certain others are no longer authorized to carry out their duties, and they are barred from accessing APC properties.
“Any statement from a leader like Arodiogbu that contradicts this ruling only serves to sow the seed of discord in Enugu State.”
He advised APC leaders, irrespective of their affiliations, to be more responsible in their public discourse and comments.
The APC chieftain equally called on security operatives to heighten their vigilance and ensure proper protection around the acting chairman of the APC in the state, Chief Alphonsus Nwafor, as well as the Enugu High Court presiding judge who issued the injunction, and all APC properties in the state.