The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has cited the attack on judges in Ekiti State and the Federal Government’s silence as the reason he did not personally attend the recent national award ceremony in Abuja.
Oyegun said he was too shocked about the desecration of the judiciary for him “to wear agbada and shake hands with the federal government”.
According to the APC chairman, he could not bring himself to accept an award in a country where its halls of justice have been desecrated and there was no forceful reaction from the federal government.
Mr. Odigie-Oyegun made this position known in Benin City, Edo State, after he received some Ijaw youth groups, who presented him a copy of their resolution not to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
He said the entire judiciary in the country was on trial and the world is waiting for judges’ reaction.
He said, “How seriously would they react? Will they get cowed again by the power structure of the nation or will they stand up for themselves and say we cannot have this? It must not happen. I was traumatized. I personally did not go to receive the national award of CON.
“This is a very unprecedented happening, the humiliation of the judiciary. Thuggery in the sacred halls of the judiciary.
“Has this country degenerated to that extent?” Mr. Oyegun asked.