Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the presidency of unwarranted and unjustified official intrusion in the on-going trial of its former National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.
The party said the hateful comment by the presidency, through its aide, Lauretta Onochie, mocking Metuh’s worsened health condition and his being brought to court from the hospital in obedience to order of court, as a “Nollywood†act, has further confirmed that the interest of the current administration in the matter is beyond the bounds of seeking justice in its prosecution.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, wednesday said the presidency has been intruding in Metuh’s case since inception just to set up the former spokesperson before the judiciary.
The party said: “It is repulsive that a presidential aide has once again intruded directly, with malicious suggestions, in a matter that is on judicial trial, thus further exposing that Metuh’s travails in the course of the trial may have been politically hatched and orchestrated.
“It is instructive to state that Metuh, whose spinal cord ailment has badly deteriorated, was brought to court in his current medical state sequel to the order of the trial judge.
“It is public knowledge that Justice Abang on January 25, 2018, rejected medical reports from doctors at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, where Metuh had been on admission, and ordered him to appear in court on February 5, 2018, or have his bail revoked. In fact, the judge ruled that he would henceforth not accept any other report issued by any medical doctor on the accused.
“It is therefore irresponsible, wicked and an unpardonable act of inhumanity for the presidency or any of its agents to mock Metuh for obeying court order even in his current state of health.â€
Lamenting that there is a sinister design against Metuh, the PDP said it has information that government agents have been harassing medical aides and practitioners across the country for offering any form of treatment or assistance to him.
The party said viewing such alongside negative and hostile disposition towards medical reports on Metuh, any responsible person can safely conclude that there is a grand conspiracy to persecute the accused.
“While we are not opposed to the trial of any of our members for any matter whatsoever, we insist that the process must be fair, without external influences and in strict compliance with provisions of the law,†PDP stated.
