…Says comment was charge to Nigerians, not party, individual
Hon. Justice Mary Odili (rtd) Justice of the Supreme Court has given reason for her comment regarding the outcome Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) judgment, pointing out that her speech was directed to all Nigerians and not to any political party or individual.
Recall that Justice Odili was criticised in some quarters for the advice she gave at the colloquium to mark Chief Joe K. Gadzama’s 25th anniversary as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) a few days ago in Abuja.
A press statement on Wednesday signed by Chief Felix Enebeli, Media Assistant to Hon Justice Odili (rtd.) stated, “Our attention has been drawn to the unfortunate 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 organised 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, some mischievous conflict entrepreneurs have been hosting comments from persons determined to force her speech to fit jaundiced narratives 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 retired 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 and follow the rules of law, in expressing their dissatisfaction through appropriate channels and not “pull down the roof of the nation” because of its far-reaching consequences on everyone, including all agitators, regardless of what side of the fence they found themselves. Surely, this is common sense advice.
“It is emphasized that there is nothing in the comments 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 leanings,” the statement further read.
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