A chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has eaten the humble pie, apologising after making a denigrating comment that the Supreme Court was “compromised” in the 2015 Rivers state governorship election case.
Igbokwe is notorious on the social media for using abusive languages on any one who has a different opinion about his party, the APC.
Besides, he posts materials and damns the consequences, and takes exception to any one who calls him to order.
He claims he wants to contest for the presidency in 2023, and does not bother the implications of the posts he makes on his so-called political ambition.
Igbokwe, Lagos APC publicity secretary and chairman of the Lagos State Wharf Landing Fee Collecting Authority, made a post on Facebook, recently, suggesting that the Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike had bribed the justices of the apex court to secure legal victory against the APC over the 2015 Rivers state governorship election.
“Wike will not have the audacity and temerity to kill again in Rivers State and run to Supreme Court to buy justice. It will never happen again where Buhari is the President,” he said on the social media site.
The Rivers State government, in its response to the allegation, gave Igbokwe seven days to name the Supreme Court justices that Wike allegedly bribed or be ready to face the consequences.
Four days after, the APC chieftain retracted his statement and also apologised for it.
Igbokwe wrote on his Face book wall on Friday: “Please let it be known and it is hereby made known that I have withdrawn the post I did few days ago on Facebook suggesting that The Apex Court compromised on matters concerning 2015 Rivers State Governorship elections.
“It was not a calculated attempt to cast aspersions, demean and disparage the entire Bar and the Bench which I hold to the highest esteem. I am too small and too insignificant to do this.
“It was a mistake and I take responsibility for my action. It was a personal opinion. This is to tender an unconditional and unreserved apology to all those felt offended by my post and a promise to avoid such drivel in future. To err is human!”
When PREMIUM TIMES contacted him, Igbokwe said he did not want to speak much on the issue. “To err is human,” he said.
The Rivers state government has, however, rejected Igbokwe’s apology.
The 2015 Rivers governorship election was one of the most fiercely contested in Nigeria that year.
Apart from the election being tainted by violence and ballot-stealing, the election tribunal and the appeal court had ruled against Wike’s election.
His challenger was Dakuku Peterside, the candidate of the APC.
Wike later secured victory at the Supreme Court which ruled in January 2016 that he was the validly elected governor of the state.