“Media Statement By ‘APC Frontier Group’, Malicious, Dishonest, and False Says Chief Aondokaa
Chief Michael Aoandoaka, SAN – Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice
By Prosper Okoye –
Nigeria’s former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aoandoaka SAN, has today debunked the statement made by the ‘APC Frontier Group’; in which it was alleged that the Supreme Court has barred him from holding public office in the country for life.
Chief Aoandoaka who is also a Benue state gubernatorial aspirant, on the All Progressive Congress(APC) party platform, described the statement in a recent press release signed by his media aide, Obed Dam, as “malicious, dishonest, false,” and the “handiwork of persons who are unpopular; threatened by his popularity and fast rising support-base.”
‘APC Frontier’ in a recent social media post that went viral, noted that one “Barr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah Gbongbon, and Hon Engnr. Nick Wende, are to replace Chief Mike Kasse Aondoaka in pressing home the Governorship demand for the Kwande bloc come 2023,” as the supreme Court of Nigeria, “in a matter titled SC939/2015, maintained that “Aondoaka should not hold public office for life,” because of an alleged official misconduct when he served as AGF during the administration of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua.
The Gubernatorial aspirant noted that he would not join issues with such “baseless falsehood,” but to set the record straight for his political associates, supporters and the general public, the press statement released, became necessary.
“Contrary to the said false allegations by the said APC Frontier Group,” the statement read in part, “we hereby refer to the judgment of the Supreme Court in the said APPEAL NO. SC.939/2015: MICHAEL K. AONDOAKAA, SAN vs. HON. EMMANUEL B. OBOT & 1 OR delivered on the 10th day of December, 2021 at Pages 21-22.
That had Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, JSC who Presided over the Panel where the Court held as follows:
“These allegations, bordering also on criminality, are allegations of breach of paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
“By paragraph 12 of part 1 of the said 5th Schedule to the Constitution:
Any allegation that a public officer has committed a breach of or has not complied with the provisions of this code shall be made to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
“In paragraph 15(1) of part 1 of the said Schedule, the Code of Conduct Tribunal is established. Paragraph 18 of the said Schedule further provides:
1. Where the Code of Conduct Tribunal finds a public officer guilty of a contravention of any of the provisions of this code, it shall impose upon that officer any of the punishment specified under sub paragraph (2) of this paragraph and such other punishment as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.
2. The punishment, which the Code of Conduct Tribunal may impose, shall include any of the following:
(a) Vacation of Office or seat in any legislative house, as the case may be;
(b) Disqualification from membership of a legislative house and from the holding of any public office for a period not exceeding ten years.”
Debunking the ‘APC Frontier Group’ claimed Supreme court judgement, Chief Aondokaa noted that, while she delivered her verdict, Her lordship, Mary Ukaego Peter Odili, JSC held in the aforementioned judgement recorded in page 23 thereof, “that the issue of qualification for holding the office of the 2nd Respondent or any other public office does not arise.”
The statement further read: “Allegations that Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN used his public office to commit an unlawful act in pursuit of private and personal interest, upon which Judgment was obtained in the Original suit that gave rise to APPEAL NO. SC.939/2015: MICHAEL K. AONDOAKAA, SAN vs. HON. EMMANUEL B. OBOT & 1 OR has been discovered to be fraudulent and fabricated falsehood, as information received under the Freedom of Information Act from the Ministry of Justice of the Federation has clearly established that the payments in respect of the said Utan Brama case were made in the year 2006 by Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, the predecessor in office to Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, well before Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN became the Attorney General of the Federation in July, 2007
“Moreso, no payment was made in respect to the Utan Brama case during the tenure of Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and M.K. Aondoakaa and Co. Private Law Firm never represented the Utan Brama Victims at any time.
“It is pertinent to note that, nobody can hide the truth, it can only be delayed, and that people like the APC Frontiers Group and their cohorts must have now buried their faces in shame.
“The issue of the fraudulent obtainment of judgment in the Original Suit that gave rise to APPEAL NO. SC.939/2015: MICHAEL K. AONDOAKAA, SAN vs. HON. EMMANUEL B. OBOT & 1 OR has been reported to the Inspector General of Police and is also a matter now pending in Court and because the matter is already pending in Court, we cannot comment further.
“We, therefore state that rather than hide behind the said APC Frontier Group to disseminate false and misleading information against the person of Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, those who are interested in contending with the candidacy of the APC with Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN should prepare and get ready to test their popularity by confronting Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN at the APC Governorship Primaries or any other legitimate forum, rather than hide behind a faceless Social Media Group like the so called “APC Frontier Group” to spill deliberate falsehood and mischief.”
