False information: Supreme Court dismisses suit against lawmaker

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a suit filed against Rep.
Emeka Martins, representing Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency
alleging he supplied false and dishonest information on himself in
his affidavits and documents given to INEC.

Delivering Judgment, a five-member panel of Justices lead by
Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, dismissed the appeal and asked all
parties to bear their costs.

Rhodes-Vivour, therefore, held that Martins is fit to hold any
elective office of trust or be elected into the House of
Representatives.

Nnanna Igbokwe, alleging that Martins submitted false
information to INEC in Form CF 001, and on that basis it ought not
to have been fit and proper to run for the election.

He alleged that some of the documents of the Martins, bear Emeka
Chinedu and in another breath he is Emeka Chinedu Martins.

Speaking to newsmen after the judgment, Martins, said that the
judiciary was the last hope for the common man.

He said that the day’s judgement given by the apex court has
given hope to the common man.

“I say this based on the judgement given today by the Supreme
Court. I have witnessed with my eyes that the judiciary is truly
independent and can’t be influenced, and that is what we need in
Nigeria.

“Today is a new dawn for me, and I’m happy that the matter has
been dismissed,“ he added.

The Court of Appeal in the Owerri judicial division had
delivered a judgment against Igbokwe) on May 11.

Mr Emeka Ozoani, counsel to Martins said, “the supreme court has
approached the issues on the basis of the fourth alteration to the
1999 constitution, as amended, and inevitably came to the
conclusion that the appellant’s suit was caught up by the
limitation law under section 285 sub section 9 of the fourth
alteration and ultimately dismissed the appeal.

“What that means now is that we have to return to Imo to
continue with the substantive post-election matters filled by the
same Igbokwe against my client (Martins).

“The case ran all the way from the Federal High Court, the court
of appeal and to the supreme court and has been laid to rest this
morning“. (NAN)

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