Politics
Ex-IGP Mike Okiro exposes fake court order that kept him out of Ohanaeze Ndigbo election
DDM News

Mike Okiro, the former Inspector General of Police, has come forward with a staggering revelation about how a fraudulent court order barred him from participating in the recent Ohanaeze Ndigbo election in Enugu.
Okiro, who had hoped to contest for the prestigious position of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, narrated his ordeal in an exclusive interview with journalists in Port Harcourt, shedding light on the series of events that led to his exclusion from the race.
According to Okiro, the Election Screening Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo relied on a non-existent court order that was falsely said to have been issued by the Enugu High Court to disqualify him from the screening process.
Okiro, who had been enthusiastic about his candidacy, described how this supposed court injunction hindered his participation in the election and how he struggled to address the matter legally.
On the evening of Tuesday, January 7, 2025, Okiro became aware of the media reports that claimed he had been barred from the election by a court order.
The news was widespread, and the election committee justified their decision to exclude him based on the purported Enugu High Court order.
Okiro wasted no time and engaged his lawyer to investigate the matter.
Diaspora digital media (DDM) gathered that his lawyer was tasked with obtaining a copy of the alleged court order, with the intent to have it vacated in time for the election.
Despite the urgency of the situation, Okiro’s lawyer was unable to secure the court order by the close of business on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
Due to the limited time available, Okiro was unable to act swiftly to overturn the decision before the election process was set to proceed.
Nevertheless, Okiro still hoped to resolve the matter.
On Thursday, January 9, 2025, he addressed the press, confirming his compliance with the alleged court order and announcing his temporary withdrawal from the election in adherence to the judicial directive.
He expressed his desire to encourage law-abiding behavior and respect for the court system in Nigeria.
At the same time, he mentioned that his lawyer was still pursuing the process to challenge the false order and that if successful, Okiro would return to the race.
Despite these efforts, when Okiro showed up for the screening process later that day, the Election Screening Committee remained steadfast in their decision to bar him from the process, citing the false court order as their justification.
Okiro provided the committee with copies of his press conference, explaining his position, but the committee refused to budge, and he was forced to leave the screening premises without being considered.
The former IGP was left frustrated, but it wasn’t until after the election was concluded that the full extent of the deception became clear.
When Okiro’s lawyer finally obtained the official court proceedings after January 10, 2025, it was revealed that no such court order ever existed.
The court had not issued any directive to bar Okiro from contesting in the election, contrary to what had been reported in the media.
Okiro’s lawyer discovered that the only action the court had taken was granting the plaintiffs—led by Comrade Chimenu Amadi—permission to serve the respondents with notice of their application.
The motion, filed on January 6, 2025, sought an injunction to prevent Okiro from participating in the election, but the court had not granted any orders barring him from the election.
The motion was scheduled for a hearing on Friday, January 10, 2025, after the election had already been concluded.
Okiro expressed his deep disappointment upon learning that the court order he had adhered to was entirely fabricated.
He had made the decision to step aside and forgo the election in order to respect what he believed was a legitimate judicial process, but the truth now seemed to suggest that he had been misled by false information propagated by some sections of the media.
Okiro described the situation as one of deception, where a hoax court order was cleverly concocted to manipulate the election process.
He noted that he had no reason to believe that the court order in question was not genuine, as it came from what he believed was a constituted authority.
In fact, his respect for the law led him to comply with the order, ultimately costing him his chance to participate in the election.
The former IGP also expressed frustration with the Election Screening Committee for their refusal to reconsider their decision, even when he provided them with a copy of his press statement explaining the situation.
The committee’s reliance on a fraudulent court order to disqualify him only compounded the sense of injustice that Okiro felt.
In light of these events, Okiro called on the Nigerian Police to activate Section 125(A) of the Criminal Code Laws, which deals with the criminal offense of providing false information.
He urged the police to investigate the individuals responsible for fabricating the court order, as he believed they had committed a serious crime that had adversely affected not only his political ambitions but also the integrity of the electoral process.
Okiro further called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take disciplinary action against the lawyer involved in this misleading case.
He condemned the act of spreading false court orders aimed at deceiving the public and undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s judiciary.
Okiro’s comments highlighted the serious consequences of such behavior, which he felt had tarnished the reputation of the legal profession and weakened the public’s trust in the court system.
Despite the setback, Okiro congratulated Senator John Mbata on his successful election as the new President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
He expressed his full support for the new leadership and pledged to work alongside them to advance the cause of Ndigbo worldwide.
Okiro made it clear that despite being wronged, he remained committed to the progress and unity of the Igbo people and would continue to contribute to their development in whatever way he could.
In conclusion, Mike Okiro’s experience is a sobering reminder of the challenges and manipulations that can take place in the realm of politics.
It is a cautionary tale about the potential abuse of judicial processes and the need for transparency and accountability in the political arena.
His story raises important questions about the integrity of the election process and the role of the media in shaping public perception, especially when false information is involved.
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