By Adadainfo
The lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Friday, said Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team would challenge Appeal Court’s granting the stay of execution request by the federal government over its (Appeal Court) earlier ruling to ‘discharge’ and ‘immediately’ release Kanu from the custody of the Department of State Services in Abuja.
Ejiofor’s reaction followed the position of the Appeal Court on Friday.
According to him, “The application for the stay of execution of the judgement of the Court of Appeal pending the determination of the appeal filed before the Supreme Court was today granted by the same Court of Appeal, though presided over by entirely new panel of justices.
“In granting the application, the court however directed the parties to settle records and transmit same to the Supreme Court within seven days, to ensure accelerated hearing of the appeal.
“Be also informed that we will challenge today’s ruling of the Court of Appeal staying the execution of its judgement after conferring with the lead vounsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN.
“Without any prejudice to the integrity of the learned justices that delivered this ruling, the fact that Hearing Notice on such a crucial/sensitive ruling was served on us barely 45 minutes before the time slated for the ruling is pregnant with meaning.
“Since the appeal is now to be heard expeditiously, be assured that we will move with speed as always, in adopting the most appropriate legal strategy to ensure immediate review of the decision by the Supreme Court, and the release of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“I urge you all to remain calm, and be rest assured that the ruling of the Court of Appeal today did not interfere in any way with the status of its judgement discharging Onyendu.
“The judgement of the Court of Appeal discharging Onyendu and striking out the seven count charge still subsists, it has not been set aside.”
Recall that the three justices that discharged Kanu were some weeks ago transferred to other locations across the federation.
The transferred justices discharged Kanu after ruling that he was illegally brought to Nigeria from Kenya. The federal government, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, said however that Kanu’s discharge did not mean acquittal, hence it would explore other legal grounds to try him.
Kanu, the leader of IPOB, is facing multiple charges, including running a proscribed group, jumping bail and treason.
Adadainfo
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