A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has criticised the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which on Wednesday sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment.
The ruling, delivered by Justice James Omotosho, has sparked outrage, with Eze insisting the judge acted improperly by proceeding with the verdict despite a pending appeal challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the legality of Kanu’s controversial rendition to Nigeria.
Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), said the judgment fell short of established legal norms, accusing the court of ignoring Kanu’s final written address—an address many believe highlighted fundamental irregularities in the trial.
Drama reportedly unfolded in court on judgment day when Justice Omotosho allegedly denied Kanu the chance to make his final remarks. The IPOB leader was subsequently escorted out of the courtroom before the sentence was delivered in his absence.
Citing Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing, Eze argued that Kanu’s rights were “grossly and unapologetically violated,” describing the entire process as a corruption of justice.
He contrasted Kanu’s life sentence with the recent five-year jail term handed to Boko Haram co-founder Mamman Nur on November 18, despite his links to the deaths of more than 2,000 civilians.
Eze further lamented the continued activities of jihadist groups, which he said have been killing, destroying, and kidnapping innocent citizens with little effective response from authorities.
The APC chieftain called for calm, expressing confidence that Kanu would eventually regain his freedom, insisting the conviction “violated Nigerian laws and international human rights instruments.”
