Obi relives legal battles he fought to become, remain Anambra governor – Peter Obi

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, said he was the highest beneficiary of judiciary in the country when there were incorruptible judges.

Mr Obi stated this during the Justice Anthony Aniagolu’s Memorial Lecture organised by the family and hosted by the Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Enugu, the Enugu State capital, South-east Nigeria, on Tuesday.

Delivering a lecture on the topic, “The Judiciary And The Future of Nigeria”, Mr Obi said he won election in Anambra State and another candidate was declared winner and he approached the court for justice.

“I spent three years in court and it was given to me and after few months I was impeached but judiciary restored me to power. After one year in office, they conducted another election and elected another person.

“But I went to Supreme Court where judges with respect for rule of law reinstated me to complete my tenure.

“All these things happened because there were incorruptible and independent judges,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor, who noted that such jurists were hard to find in the present day Nigeria said, “Our judiciary are weak and compromised by the executive and highest bidders.”

According to him, the future of our society is compromised because independent of the judiciary has been destroyed.

“We need strong judiciary to fight criminality. Rule of law is the foundation in which any society survive and develop and the only thing that makes it sacrosanct is the independent of the judiciary.

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“And it is a strong judiciary that makes businesses, investments and democracy to thrive,” Mr Obi said.

He pointed out that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not the problem of Nigeria but judiciary, whom those denied their rights approached but ended up being disappointed.

Mr Obi explained that institutions were weak because there was no strong judiciary where litigants could report wrongdoings and got desired justice.

Proffering solutions, Mr Obi advocated for independence of judiciary and non interference by the executive, saying “as a governor, I never appointed any judge but left the power to the Chief Judge.

“I bought cars for them but never appointed any judge throughout my tenure”.

Obi, however, extolled Aniagolu for his exemplary life, stressing that he served his country and practiced his law in an exemplary manner.

In a remark, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State represented by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof Emmanuel Obi, described the lecture as “apt”.

Mr Mbah said that the state had made several laws saying that the government used the instrument of law to create enabling environment for business to thrive.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of GOUNI, Prof. Christian Anieke, described Aniagolu as an “erudite jurist and incorruptible judge” who laid foundation for the establishment of GOUNI.

He commended the family for their support and resolve to immortalise him, saying “God will continue to bless you”.

He equally thanked Mr Obi for accepting to deliver the 5th Memorial Lecture on Aniagolu, saying “our choice of you is based on our understanding of the spirited ability you have with Aniagolu.

“You cherished the late Aniagolu’s sacrifices on the alter of legal technicalities.

“You share with him that integrity and legacy one can bequeath to younger generation as well as your understanding in Nigeria democracy,” Anieke said.

The son of the late jurist, Chukwuemeka Aniagolu, a professor, described his father as an icon who contributed immensely to the growth of the judiciary in Nigeria.

He thanked Mr Peter Obi for, the university and guests for honour given to the family.

Obi’s history of legal battle

Mr Obi’s political career has been punctuated by a series of legal battles since 2003. He fought a protracted legal battle to assume office as Anambra State governor.

Mr Obi ran for Anambra State governor on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2003, but INEC declared his opponet, Chris Ngige of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the election.

Displeased with the outcome of the election, Mr Obi challenged it at the Anambra State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal. After three years of legal battle, the Court of Appeal nullified Mr Ngige’s victory in 2006. It declared Mr Obi the winner of the election. Mr Obi subsequently assumed office on 17 March 2006.

After barely seven months in office, Mr Obi was removed from office by the Anambra State House of Assembly, setting off another legal battle launched by Mr Obi to reclaim his position as governor.

Virginia Etiaba, who was Mr Obi’s deputy, replaced him.

He however successfully challenged his removal from office in court and was re-instated as the governor by the Court of Appeal in Enugu on 9 February 2007.

In 2007, INEC conducted governorship elections in Anambra State based on the assumption that Mr Obi’s four-year tenure, which arose from the 2003 poll, would come to an end in May 2007. The election was won by Andy Uba of the PDP.

Mr Obi handed over to Mr Uba but returned to court to court to seek a declaration that his tenure in office arising from the 2003 would extend beyond May 2007.

He argued that his four-year tenure only started to run when he took office in March 2006 after his protracted, successful battle in court. On 14 June 2007, the Supreme Court upheld Mr Obi’s contention and returned him to office, abruptly ending Mr Uba’s reign as governor.

Mr Obi remained in office till March 2010 and subsequently won a second term which he completed in March 2014.

Mr Obi handed to his successor, Willie Obiano.

The former Anambra State governor was the running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on the platform of the PDP in 2019.

They parted ways in the 2023 election, in which Atiku ran as the PDP’s presidential candidate and Mr Obi his Labour Party rival.

Atiku came second and Mr Obi third in the results of the 2023 election which INEC declared was won by President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku and Mr Obi jointly challenged in court, although unsuccessfully, the outcome of the 2019 election won by then President Muhammadu Buhari. They also, in 2023, separately challenged Mr Tinubu’s election in court but also failed.

(NAN)