The Honourable Justice Mary Peter-Odili, CFR, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, has decried the number of malicious attacks directed at her over her speech at the occasion which marked the 25th Anniversary of Chief Joe Gadzama as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
Justice Peter-Odili had, in her speech, noted the controversy thrown up by the 2023 General Elections, and advised losers and aggrieved parties not to pull down the roof of the Nation, but to express their their misgivings and/or grievances through the appropriate legal route.
She neither mentioned any particular election since there was more than one election – Presidency, National Assembly, Governorship, House of Assembly – nor did she mention any party or individual.
But parts of her speech has since been twisted and misinterpreted, thus, giving the impression that she was referring to the Presidential election which the Petitions Panel was still sitting, and had a couple of days to deliver its judgement.
In a statement signed and released by her Media Assistant, Chief Felix Enebeli, Justice Peter-Odili said there was nothing in her speech “that suggested a reference to those who lost in any particular election in any State or Region.” She noted that: “The 2023 General Elections were in four categories: the State Houses of Assembly, Governorship, National Assembly and Presidential Elections. Moreso, the lawyers who attended the event, especially, the named ones, were called upon in their professional capacity to find solutions to the challenges facing the 2023 elections, irrespective of their leaning.”
The statement said she acknowledged the lawyers – Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the host, J.K. Gadzama, because they, among others, are globally acknowledged strong litigation Lawyers. She also noted that Gadzama “is a known lawyer who had done several cases for the PDP”, and added that: “The several other Lawyers in attendance are possibly handling various cases for politicians.”
The statement then asked: “So, where is the reason for this unprovoked attack? There is, therefore, nothing to suggest an ill-motive on her part in the way these unpatriotic persons are struggling to do.”
Finally, the statement reproduced the relevant parts of Justice Peter-Odili’s speech and asked the public to be the judge. It said: “The public should be the judge. The foregoing clearly shows that there is nothing said by Hon. Justice Mary Odili (who is a retired Justice, and is free to express her views like any other person) which suggests the wicked twist of bias championed by the same persons who are bullying the judiciary and threatening to pull down the roof without recourse to due process.”
The full text of the statement reads:
“JUSTICE MARY ODILI’S ADVICE AT THE COLLOQUIUM TO MARK
CHIEF JOE K. GADZAMA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY AS A *SAN IS TO ALL NIGERIANS AND NOT TO ANY POLITICAL PARTY OR PERSON.”
“Our attention has been drawn to the skewed social media interpretation inflicted upon the innocuous speech made by Hon Justice Mary Odili CFR, retired Justice of the Supreme Court during the Colloquium organized in Abuja on Friday 1st September, 2023 to mark the 25th anniversary of Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
“The event was themed ‘The Nigeria of our Dreams: A Call to the Patriots’.
“Since then, a section of the social media has been hosting comments from some unpatriotic persons who forced her speech to fit their jaundiced state of mind and political nuances. Justice Mary Odili spoke like one “who saw something and said something” without minding whose ox was gored.
“In her speech, the learned Jurist acknowledged that the 2023 general elections “generated a storm” and advised all those who were not declared victorious in the elections to toe the line of legality in expressing their dissatisfaction through the appropriate channels and not pull down the roof of the nation because of its far-reaching consequences on every one including themselves. How else could she have responded as an elder in an occasion like that?
“It is emphasised that there is nothing in her noble speech that suggested a reference to those who lost in any particular election in any state or region. The 2023 general elections were in four categories: the State Houses of Assembly, Governorship, National Assembly and Presidential elections. Moreso, the lawyers who attended the events, especially the named ones, were called upon, in their professional capacity, to find solutions to the challenges facing the 2023 elections irrespective of their leaning. Wole Olanipekun SAN is the immediate past Chairman, Body of Benchers who handed over to Justice Mary Odili. Lateef Fagbemi SAN is the Hon Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria and the Host J. K. Gadzama SAN is a known Lawyer who has done several cases for the PDP.
“These lawyers are globally acknowledged as strong in litigation. The several other lawyers in attendance are possibly handling various cases for politicians. So where is the reason for this unprovoked attack? There is, therefore, nothing to suggest an ill motive on her part in the way these unpatriotic persons are struggling to do.
“However, we have reproduced here, the crucial parts of her speech on that day for the avoidance of doubts and for the public to judge.
‘This colloquium and book launch in honour of Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama upon the attainment of 25 years as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is an epocal achievement. It is no doubt appropriate that the theme is, The Nigeria of our Dreams, A Call to the Patriots. I say so in the light of the prevailing situation in Nigeria as a result of the 2023 general elections which has generated a lot of storms, necessitating the conversation which we are about to indulge in as there seems to be moves to throw the nation into chaos or conflagration. This may be brought about by some individuals and groups who, fanning the embers of hatred, bigotry and tribalism fail to see the possible outcomes of the utterances without caution that are being thrown around.
‘It is human to feel cheated or having the short end of the stick but one who is not declared the winner at any of the electoral contests, such emotion however grim, does not justify bringing the roof down, the roof of our nation. The reason is simple, that in such an eventuality, that aggrieved person may not be spared as the commotion that could ensue would be like an unguided missile which could land anywhere and upon anyone?
‘Therefore, in ventilating our points of view and facts at the electoral tribunals or other courts, a sense of responsibility from all parties is demanded. The situation does not call for the blackmail of the judges or the posting of speculatory hypothesis, giving them such a life of their own which run riot and accepted by the hapless and innocent in the society as the truth.
‘Knowing the quality of participants at this colloquium and I am happy, professionals, those who are well equipped in litigation matters or electoral disputes – Chief Olanipekumn is a master, and our Attorney General recently sworn in. These are experts. I am confident that having such persons here including our Chief Host, Chief J.K Gadzama SAN, there is confidence that at the end of the day, a resetting of the mind would be taking place and we would keep things in perspective in the full knowledge that elections are seasonal and litigations relating thereto … and so when the seasons are gone, the courts get back to their natural and regular duties of adjudication regarding the affairs and rights of all persons irrespective of their status in life.
‘J.K. Gadzama SAN has called us to this discuss lest we forget our past, the recent happenings in our country and the need for a restoration of the ethos and the values for which the founding fathers have set in motion as guides to all of us, young and old, irrespective of the positions we occupy in the society. We all have to get our acts together and rebuild our nation’
“The public should be the judge. The foregoing clearly shows that there is nothing said by Hon. Justice Mary Odili (who is a retired Justice and is free to express her views like any other person) which suggests the wicked twist of bias championed by the same persons who are bullying the judiciary and threatening to pull down the roof without recourse to due process.”
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