A socio-cultural group, Rivers Truth Movement, has accused a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, as the mastermind of the “deadly media attacks” on Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court which it claimed was politically motivated.
The group has, however, warned Sylva to desist or face the wrath of the people of Rivers State who, it said, would be turned against him.
A statement issued on Monday by the General Secretary of the organisation, Pastor Reuben Belema, the group said it had uncovered through its careful findings that Sylva was the “architect and brain” behind all the media attacks, particularly those of the online media, on Justice Mary Odili, wife of the former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili.
The group reiterated its conviction that all the negative moves which it described as “deadly media attacks” were being orchestrated to achieved a “clear sinister political objective”.
For instance, the group claimed that one of its findings revealed that Timipre Sylva was behind the “desperate moves” seeking an order to compel the National Judicial Council (NCJ) to recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari to compulsorily retire Justice Odili on a phantom charge of “judicial misconduct”.
“This is bizarre and must be condemned by all because of its inherent desperation as a political assault on the judiciary. It’s all a ruse”, it stated.
Belema further revealed that Sylva’s plot to oust Justice Odili from the Supreme Court at all cost was a calculated attempt to pave the way for him to “buy his way through the Supreme Court Justices”, who, he accused, were pro-APC and as such enhance his on-going governorship petition.
The statement noted that Justice Odili was being considered as a major impediment to such “judicial compromise” given her record as a “stickler for due process and integrity” in the adjudication of matters of law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state clearly and unambiguously that Timipre Sylva, through Timipa Jenkins Okponipere, a self-styled secretary of MEND and lawyer working with Sylva to act as negotiator for peace with the Federal Government for Niger Delta Avengers, instituted a suit (NO:FHC/ABJ/CS/273/13), filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Okponipere, among others, sought an order compelling the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari the immediate and compulsory retirement of Justice Odili on account of “judicial misconduct”, the group alleged.
The organisation also called on Buhari to watch carefully in order not to be misled by those it claimed were “shylock politicians’ out to give his presidency a bad name through “influence peddling” aimed at corrupting the judiciary.
