It was with mixed feelings that residents and indigenes of Abia state received the news of the Supreme Court’s judgement that nullified the conviction of the former Governor the state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North in the National Assembly.
The embattled lawmaker was convicted on December 5, 2019, for a 12-year-term by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for appropriating N7.6 billion belonging to the state.
However, a seven-man panel of Supreme Court, Thursday, agreed that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it convicted him.
Meanwhile, scores of supporters of the former governor erupted in jubilation on hearing the judgement including the State Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon Donatus Nwankpa, who lauded the decision of the apex court.
He said that the supporters of the party were in a happy mood expecting their leader to rejoin the Abia APC family.
Also, speaking in a Telephone interview with our correspondent, the traditional ruler of the lawmaker, HRH Eze Eme Ogbu the Ebere Igbo of Umusi Autonomous Community, Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia state, said he was very excited adding that his Igbere people are jubilating which he said is a good news to the people.
The monarch however commended the Apex court for doing the needful by setting their son off the hook.
On his part,Hon Maduka Okoro,the media aide, South East, to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu lauded the Supreme Court for judgement noting that the Federal High Court verdit was a travesty of Justice.
He added that everyone was excited.
According to him, “Abians and Nigerians are excited from what has happened. I have been receiving phone calls from length and breadth of the country.”
However, Barr Nnamdi Eluwa of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Umuahia branch, has said that the judgement was funny.
He stated that the Administration of Criminal Justice gives room for an elevated judge to deliver a judgement in the matter he was handling before his elevation provided he obtained permission from Chief Judge.
