Few days ago; Emeka Ugwuonye seemed to have intensified his onslaught against Ifeanyi Ejiofor and has shown readiness to sustain it unhindered. Ifeanyi Ejiofor is neither handicapped but trying to avoid making prejudicial statements that would negatively influence his alleged case with the state.
Emeka Ugwuonye has one over Ifeanyi Ejiofor and has been using it effortlessly against him. The literary prowess of Emeka Ugwuonye cannot be measured with that of Ifeanyi Ejiofor while those around Ejiofor seem confused and defeated.
IPOB released a rallying press statement through Emma Powerful. I was disappointed with such an empty press statement and that must have left Emeka Ugwuonye licking his lips. A press statement that ought to have picked Emeka’s unruly points and counter them ended up admitting defeat through aimless rants. Why attack Emeka Ugwuonye? It is one of those tactless and poor handling of issues that characterized IPOB.
The so-called IPOB media warriors prefer to gossip instead of challenge issues head on. I do not blame IPOB media; they cannot operate beyond their capacities- I believe Emeka is massive for them and no wonder he continues to intimidate them with even false narratives.
Imagine Emeka saying Emma Powerful is a pseudo name for Ifeanyi Ejiofor and the way Emeka confidently opined that shows he is having a field day. It is pertinent to bring to the attention of Emeka Ugwuonye that Emma Powerful did not start with IPOB. Emma Powerful began publicity business with MASSOB. He is average, chubby and a dark guy. In 2016; I hosted Emma Powerful and Chidiebere Onwudiwe at Dolly-hills hotel 3-3 as a leading IPOB media go-to man and some journalists I was brushing up then like Somto Okonkwo, Ibeh Gift Amarachi and others were present. So; Emeka Ugwuonye claiming Emma Powerful is a pseudo name is nothing but being in a fool’s paradise.
Nevertheless; we are unlearned spectators, reading the narratives of a lawyer who spent so much to graduate from a law school. Emeka told us that Ifeanyi Ejiofor is a mole because there is a case of fraud involving him. He opined that he cannot sincerely represent Nnamdi Kanu and even alleged he is using Kanu’s case as leverage for plea bargain. The summary of his argument is that Ifeanyi Ejiofor cannot adjudicate for Nnamdi Kanu without being used by the state.
Firstly; we have to ask Emeka Ugwuonye if Ifeanyi Ejiofor is innocent of all the allegations against him until proven guilty? We also need to ask him; is an allegation an automatic ticket to prison to the extent Ifeanyi Ejiofor is doing everything he imaginarily accused him of? Emeka became the judge of the matter to the extent of sentencing Ifeanyi Ejiofor with the so-called evidence he had access to and without imaginarily sentencing Ifeanyi Ejiofor, all his accusation would be baseless. It is important to know that the foundation of Emeka Ugwuonye’s accusations is that he Emeka Ugwuonye has found Ifeanyi Ejiofor guilty of fraud. Funny enough; for Ejiofor to win the case and avoid 25years imprisonment; it must be at Nnamdi Kanu’s expense. With this, it is fair to say Emeka Uguwonye loves mkpurummiri.
Ifeanyi Ejiofor has been under attack from right, left and centre. His house invaded and his P.A burnt alive. Ifeanyi Ejiofor is not the only lawyer representing IPOB that has come under attack. I see Emeka Uguwonye’s move as continuation of the attack aimed at Ifeanyi Ejiofor. Ifeanyi Ejiofor is the poster boy of Nnamdi Kanu’s legal matter and knowing the fanaticism of the Biafran struggle, Ifeanyi Ejiofor cannot negotiate anything at the expense of Nnamdi Kanu. He is aware that it would be made open afterwards and harsher punishment from the people awaits him compared to whatsoever he had been given by the state. I did not know if Ejiofor had began the plea bargain with Nigeria when his home was invaded, when he was attacked and his PA killed and many other attacks he faced and facing.
Ejiofor has walked through hell; those following the case can vividly see there was and there is no pressure whatsoever on Ejiofor. Aloy won a fundamental human right case he initiated and so on; it is the commonest case any lawyer can win. I will win it had I initiated it. There is a major case Nigeria has interest in; and Aloy is there, may he please also win that one. Remember; Ifeanyi Ejiofor released Nnamdi Kanu in 2017. Saying Ifeanyi Ejiofor has not won a case is simply because he is fighting the main case that takes a lot to win. Had Ifeanyi Ejiofor filed fundamental human right case against the state, he would win but that is not the main business. Ejiofor is looking at the big stage; and he should rightly be focused while others focus on minor legal permutations to aid the big one.
Emeka Ugwuonye is simply bitter or there is a bad blood between him and Ifeanyi Ejiofor. Let me also remind Emeka Ugwuonye that a situation Ifeanyi Ejiofor can negotiate plea bargain at the expense of Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom is when he is solely handling Nnamdi Kanu’s matter. A case of such magnitude- where different lawyers are involved cannot be used as a plea bargain for an odd matter. Ifeanyi Ejiofor doesn’t and cannot act alone and it is enough to convince us that he cannot use Nnamdi Kanu’s case for plea bargain.
If some lawyers working with Ifeanyi Ejiofor want to take over from him; there is a smarter way to go about it than nonsensical narratives. If Emeka Ugwuonye is angry that Ifeanyi Ejiofor ignored his interest or did not allow him use Nnamdi Kanu’s case to catch cruise and fame, there are better ways to address anger. Emeka Ugwuonye should stop making it appear like Ifeanyi Ejiofor is solely responsible for Nnamdi Kanu’s case and can solely negotiate whatsoever. No; Ifeanyi Ejiofor is a lead counsel and this means there are many counsels and decision is unanimous and not personal. To push a plea bargain or whatsoever negotiation; Ejiofor must get Aloy and other lawyers involve, by virtue of this, personal or selfish negotiation of any nature is not a possibility in the litigation.
Finally; Emeka Ugwuonye should go and take some water to refresh. At least; he is supposed to know that even though we are unlearned spectators, we have common sense and that common sense made us to understand that Nnamdi Kanu’s case is beyond or has gone past a case one can use to negotiate a plea bargain for himself. This is a public case and a high profile case involving multiple counsels and that alone is enough to prove Emeka Ugwuonye is suffering from hate.
I expected Emeka Ugwuonye to list things Ifeanyi Ejiofor got wrong or suspicious legal actions and inactions that point to state influence on Ejiofor. Instead, we only saw where Ejiofor’s push or protest to bring in Bruce Fein became a point of negative reference for Emeka. I would be happy to hear what an uncompromised lawyer would do different from what Ejiofor has done since he took over the matter.
Ifeanyi Ejiofor may be found guilty of a litigation against him, it’s part and parcel of fighting the government. But, with the presence of a SAN as a new lead counsel and Emeka Ugwuonye is still ranting how Ejiofor is using Kanu’s case to escape from trouble and we read such nonsense shows we are indeed unlearned spectators.
Ifeanyi Chijioke- Independent/Investigative journalist
Writes from Enugu
Email. Ifeanyichijioke97@gmail
