The Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has dismissed as frivolous and mischievous the call by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on President Muhammadu Buhari to fire the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, who are currently under investigation by the Department of State Services, alleged that the two ministers had at different times attempted to compromise them with intent to obtain judgements that would favour candidates of their party, who had election matters pending before the apex court.
The justices said they rebuffed the duo and their refusal of the alleged bribe set the stage for their subsequent investigation by DSS, an act they perceived as persecution. On the strength of the allegation, PDP in a press statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyey, called on the president to sack Amaechi and Onu from the federal cabinet.
In its reaction, APC said: “The call by the PDP flies in the face of reason, fairness, common sense and cause of justice. It is a known fact that embattled Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court only resorted to the cheap, convenient, everyday reaction of people caught red-handed committing crimes in order to divert attention away from the grave reality confronting them especially when faced with sufficient evidence.
“Indeed, it is even more disconcerting that PDP in the said call, refused to recognise the naked fact that by accusing the Ministers of attempting to induce them to pervert the course of justice, the accused Hon. Justices introduced unrelated allegations against innocent persons unconnected with the matter for which they are being investigated.”
“We urge Mr. President and Nigerians to completely disregard PDP’s call for the sacking of Amaechi and Onu. Why should they be sacked? What crime did they commit for PDP to call for their sack? These fine gentlemen did nothing wrong. Mr. President should not and cannot act based on mere accusations from the Supreme Court Justices without any iota of proof or evidence to back their claims. And we should not forget that these Justices only started making these false accusations against Amaechi and Onu, after they were arrested by the DSS.”
