Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in this brief chat, speaks on latest developments in the polity. TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI brings the excerpts:
What is your reaction to the ruling by a FCT High Court in Abuja stopping Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, from parading himself as your party’s national chairman?

I think it is totally undesirable political intervention in a political matter. If politicians try to drag a judge into their political quarrel, it will be extremely foolish for the judge to jump in feet first as if he is a child. It is not a matter the court should dabble into at all since it is purely a political matter. The whole thing is political. They said the state chapter suspended him. Which one is the state chapter? If you go to Edo state now, you will find those who say he was not suspended, you will also find others who said he is on suspension. It is just a political quarrel that is not subject to any judicial intervention. I don’t think that judgment will last long at all. It is obviously going to be set aside.

You once said you don’t see the Supreme Court returning Emeka Ihedioha as Imo governor but a lot of people disagreed with you. Can you say that you have been vindicated?

I am surprised that these other people didn’t see that that was what was going to happen at the Supreme Court. The court is more intent in protecting its image than in reversing any decision even if it thinks it has made a mistake. That is my clear impression on what happened. If you look at it, the Imo state case is really not one that attracts the need to do justice; it is not the case where serious damage has been done and justice is needed. It is the one in Zamfara and Bayelsa that requires justice because what happened there is a very serious assault on justice and democracy. So, if the court not only rejects the review of the Bayelsa case but also imposed such a huge fine on the lawyers, I don’t see why it should take a contrary decision in the case of Imo. I heard the PDP lawyers were not fined which is a very interesting development that will be subject to a lot of speculations as why the distinction. The whole series of judgments is a sad development and a very dark episode in our judicial institute. The earlier we forgot about it, the better. I think we need to start on a clean slate.

Some people have argued that the Supreme Court didn’t fine Ihedioha’s lawyers because they see merit in his case. Do you agree?

Of course, the lawyers who represented Ihedioha should have been fined. If the lawyers who represented the APC candidate in Bayelsa could be fined, and in my view, the wrong done to Bayelsa is far more, that is if even you consider if any wrong was done in Imo, then the fine for Ihedioha’s lawyers should have been far more. The way the PDP has taken this matter is scandalous. I watched the television and I saw a huge crowd of Bishops who were brought to come and intercede with God over the Supreme Court judgment. The way the matter has ended reminds me of what happened during the time of Prophet Elijah when the priests of Baal were praying to their god for fire to consume their offering. I remembered Elijah mocking them, saying ‘cry aloud, maybe your god is sleeping or he has travelled’. They did all that and even cut themselves but nothing happened. I think that was the impression the Imo priests and Bishops who went to pray for the restoration of Ihedioha’s case. To bring God to ridicule in this very sorry episode in Nigerian life shows that those people don’t know God. It is a very sad period in our political and judicial life.