The Former Adamawa North senator, Elisha Abbo, has been given an ultimatum to prove his bribery allegations against the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, or face legal consequences. Alternatively, Abbo has been urged to apologize for his accusations against Justice Chioma Iheme and the entire judiciary.
Uwemedimo Nwoko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State, emphasized that Abbo must either substantiate his bribery claims or apologize for making baseless accusations. In a statement issued on behalf of the accused, Nwoko highlighted the absence of evidence to support Abbo’s allegations against the judiciary.
On February 1st, Abbo publicly accused the Court of Appeal President and others of accepting bribes in a judgment that led to his removal from the Senate. In response, Nwoko stated that the judiciary and its officials cannot be intimidated or subjected to criminal extortion.
The statement from Nwoko condemned Abbo’s “reckless and unconscionable” press conference allegations, describing them as unfounded and harmful to the integrity and reputation of the judges and justices involved. It recalled a previous incident where Abbo retracted his accusations against Senator Godswill Akpabio after failing to provide evidence.
Nwoko concluded with a strong warning, calling for Abbo to provide valid evidence for his claims or face legal repercussions. The statement stressed the gravity of Abbo’s actions and underscored the imperative to cease unwarranted attacks on judicial officers and the judiciary.
The case sheds light on the importance of evidence-based accusations and the potential legal ramifications of unsubstantiated claims against public figures.
