Chukwuma Machukwu Ume (SAN) is expected to join the already-existing legal team of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), POLITICS NIGERIA understands.
While many thought the inclusion of the senior lawyer into IPOB’s defence team, was in respect of the 15-count amended charge preferred against IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, it has now emerged that he is only expected to represent IPOB at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, for another case.
This clarification was made in a recent statement signed by Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, IPOB Lead Counsel, obtained by POLITICS NIGERIA.
“Chief Chukwuma Machukwu Ume, SAN, on the instruction of Onyendu, was ONLY introduced into the ALREADY EXISTING IPOB legal team, ABLY HEADED BY MY GOODSELF,to prosecute the pending appeal challenging the PROSCRIPTION OF IPOB. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the defence of ONYENDU in the ongoing criminal trial before the Honourable Justice Binta Nyako at the Federal High Court , Abuja. The appeal MACHUKWU SAN is involved is pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. This appeal and the 15-count Amended Charge pending at the Federal High Court, Abuja, ARE ENTIRELY TWO DIFFERENT CASES,” Ejiofor’s statement reads in part.
“Any instruction to engage any lawyer whatsoever to join in the legal team representing either Onyendu or IPOB in cases pending in court MUST come from Onyendu himself as he did of Chief Ozekome. It can NEVER come from any other person howsoever or whatsoever.
“Onyendu has been particularly ENTHUSED by and APPRECIATIVE of the DEPTH , BREADTH AND QUALITY OF ADVOCACY so far demonstrated and deployed by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, in the conduct of his defence at the proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Onyendu has an implicit confidence in the present formidable legal team defending him. Accordingly, he has NO NEED OR DESIRE WHATSOEVER to tinker with the idea or ever contemplate the possibility of engaging another senior lawyer in his defence, presently or in the future.
“However, in the unlikely event of such future engagement, information to that effect MUST proceed either from my good self or from the reverred and respected learned Silk, Chief Ozekhome, SAN, upon instructions from ONYENDU.”
