The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has demanded that Governor Dave Umahi apologise and retract his remarks about the Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja and his judgement.
According to the NBA, Umahi used derogatory terms to describe the ruling, calling it "jungle justice" and His Lordship "a hatchet guy."
In a statement, NBA President Olumide Akpata stated Umahi's remark accusing the court of "murdering justice" and declaring the jurisdiction null and void is "executive rascality of the highest order."
"While the NBA has no stake in the outcome of the case in question and will continue to avoid partisan politics," the statement continued, "it's inconceivable that this Association, charged with upholding the rule of law and defending the judiciary, would sit idly by in the face of this unprovoked and totally unwarranted attack on the judiciary."
He stated that adequate measures must be made to safeguard the judiciary's sanctity.
"It is for this reason that we condemn without reservation Gov. Umahi's awful rant, which would have been stunning if it had come from an ordinary litigant, but is nothing short of a national humiliation coming from someone who holds the elevated office of a State Governor," he continued.
Denigrating the exalted office of a judge, according to Apata, is disrespectful, undemocratic, and utterly inappropriate behaviour from a governor.