Mary Odili Refutes Alleged Plan to Influence Tribunal Judges

Wale Igbintade

A former Justice of the Supreme Court, Mary Peter-Odili, yesterday, refuted the allegation that she had begun meeting with judges handling cases at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) in order to influence them in favour of President Bola Tinubu.

An online publisher, Jackson Ude, had alleged that Justice Peter-Odili was “negotiating a pathway for President Bola Tinubu” and that “she meets regularly with Appeal and Supreme Courts” in that regard.

But in a statement, Justice Peter-Odili vehemently refuted the allegations, describing it as false, malicious, mischievous and a deliberate attempt at smearing her integrity and solid reputation.

In the statement which was signed by her Media Assistant, Felix Enebeli, the retired justice of the apex court said she had also referred the matter to her lawyers as well as the police and other security agencies for appropriate action.

While the statement urged the public to disregard and ignore the false publication, it added that it has the potential of inciting the public against her lordship on an issue of grave national importance.

It noted that her lordship was neither a judicial consultant to anyone nor was she in any way connected with or involved in any of the presidential election petitions or any other election petition whatsoever.

 “Our attention has been drawn to a publication circulating in the social media against the person of the retired Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, wherein the author, one Jackson Ude, falsely and maliciously alleged inter alia, that the revered jurist is ‘currently negotiating a pathway for Bola Tinubu’ and that ‘she meets regularly with Appeal and Supreme courts’ in that regard.

“While the defamation arising from the false allegation has been referred to the lawyers of her lordship to deal with in accordance with the law, we consider it appropriate, particularly for the sake of the public, to issue this unequivocal denial of the false allegation.

“We deny every allegation contained in the publication and state that the publication is false, malicious, mischievous and a deliberate attempt at smearing the integrity and solid reputation of her lordship. We say nothing of the fact that the publication has the potential of inciting the public against her lordship on an issue of grave national importance,” Justice Peter-Odili said.

“The public is hereby urged to disbelieve, disregard and ignore this false publication,” she added.

According to the statement, lawyers acting for Justice Peter-Odili have been instructed to demand retraction and public apology from the publisher, Ude, failing which redress will be sought in a court of law.

“Meanwhile, a criminal complaint has been lodged with the police. In addition, lawyers acting for Justice Mary Peter-Odili have addressed petitions to the State Security Service, the Nigeria Police and Interpol calling for immediate investigation of this grave but false and malicious allegation aimed at inciting the public against Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili (rtd),” it said.