IPOB Lead Counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor Clears Air On The Inclusion of Chief Chukwuma Machukwu Ume, SAN

My attention has just been drawn tonight to the false and injurious misinformation making the rounds, especially in the social media to the effect that Chief Chukwuma Machukwu Ume, SAN, has been included in the legal team defending our indefatigable client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in the 15-count Amended Charge preferred against him at the Federal High Court, Abuja. This piece of misinformation has generated needless hoopla and effusive commentary of a diverse nature making it expedient for me to say a few words by way of urgent clarification.

Firstly, I say straight away that the information, in all respects and in actual fact, is a gross misinformation. No SAN, apart from CHIEF MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN, is in the legal team defending Onyendu in the aforesaid pending criminal matter. Onyendu Nnamdi Kanu picked Chief Ozekhome by himself as soon as he was renditioned back to Nigeria from Kenya on 29th June, 2021, from where he was crudely ambushed and abducted like a common criminal in which he is not.

Secondly, Chief Chukwuma Machukwu Ume, SAN, on the instruction of Onyendu, was ONLY introduced into the ALREADY EXISTING IPOB legal team, ABLY HEADED BY MY GOODSELF, to prosecute a pending appeal challenging the PROSCRIPTION OF IPOB. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the defence of Onyendu in the ongoing criminal trial before the honorable Justice Binta Nyako at the Federal High Court, Abuja. The appeal in which Machukwu is involved is pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. This appeal and the 15-count Amended Charge currently pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja, ARE THEREFORE ENTIRELY TWO DIFFERENT CASES.

Thirdly, any instruction to engage any lawyer whatsoever to join in the legal team representing either Onyendu or IPOB in cases pending in court MUST come from Onyendu himself as he did of Chief Ozekhome. It can NEVER come from any other person howsoever and whomsoever. Onyendu has been particularly ENTHUSED by and APPRECIATIVE of the DEPTH, BREADTH AND QUALITY OF ADVOCACY so far demonstrated and deployed by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, in the conduct of his defence at the proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Onyendu has implicit confidence in the present formidable legal team defending him. Accordingly, he has NO NEED OR DESIRE WHATSOEVER to tinker with the idea, or ever contemplate the possibility of engaging another senior lawyer in his defence, presently, or in the future. However, in the unlikely event of such future engagement, information to that effect MUST proceed either from my good self or from the revered and respected learned Silk, Chief Ozekhome, SAN, upon instructions from Onyendu.

Finally, I hereby urge UMUCHINEKE and the general public to take particular note of the above clarification and be properly guided accordingly.

Thank you all, UMUCHINEKE, and remain blessed.

Signed :
Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq,
IPOB Lead Counsel
14th March 2022.