Is there anything like indefensible?

Ewa Okpo
Some colleagues who are friends and brothers
of mine have suddenly gone berserk shooting
tantrums at those whom they perceive as
sympathetic to Gov. Akpabio's EFCC chase and
have described the embattled minority leader as
indefensible and though I replied one I'd like to
review and repost my reply for the benefit of
others at once. As a lawyer is there anything
like "Indefensible"? For me. It's rather
hypocritical for President Buhari's government to
seek prosecution of Sen. Akpabio while it seeks
to make Ex- Gov Amaechi minister. Amaechi
controlled more funds than Akpabio (by
allocations and internally generated revenue
altogether) but Port Harcourt city cannot
contest Akpabio's work in Akwa Ibom state in
relative development assessment from
2009-2015. In my opinion both men should be
investigated and if possible prosecuted including
Fashola and kwankwaso. Very much as an Oro
man I have every right to feel betrayed
sometimes to think that Akpabio upset our
political graph in the state by making Udom
Emmanuel his successor but then where were
the Oro gladiators when "mini me" was
campaigning for an Oro ticket? How many of us
from the Oro extraction can really point to one
big or average Oro politician who has really
touched our lives enough for us to die for? The
story is touching- they always say they don't
have money in politics like people from other
ethnic extraction do yet they are building houses
and sending their children to expensive schools
overseas- on loan I guess. So when the battle
was lost at the PDP primaries it was obvious
there wasn't a revenge of a better choice
elsewhere. So I have my grudges with Akpabio
and before the coming of Christ I'm certain i'll
have my day with him one day but till then like
Baroch Spinoza "I have made a ceaseless effort
not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn
human actions, but to understand them." It is
therefore in the light of this that I've rather
learned to understand men and not condemn
them before the court does. But give me the job
to prosecute or defend them and you'll get the
best legal service either way. Meanwhile, from a
political purview we shouldn't be ignorant of the
wiles of our detractors as a people. We have
rich culture of folk lores but we never seem to
draw wisdoms from them. One that readily
comes to mind in a time like this is the "Dog's
Story". When famine in the land caused all
animals to resolve to kill their mothers for food
the dog agreed and also joined them in eating
their mothers but when it was his turn to bring
his mother he changed the game by claiming his
mother was demised and hid her from others.
Another one that comes to mind again is the
story of the "Giant Warrior" whom his people
killed on account of some flimsy charges
orchestrated by their neighbours only to turn
around and regret his absence when the
neighbours started eliminating them at war. Get
my point please. If we must hang thieves then
let all who have stolen or suspected so be
proven, prosecuted and hanged equally. You
don't ask me to bring my elder brother to be
hanged for stealing when yours is the king of
thieves. Charity begins at home so start with
yours that way I'll find moral grounds to follow.
For now, even if Akpabio is the greatest rogue
ex-gov I will keep him until justice is done to
peeps like Amaechi, Sylva, Fashola, tinubu,
kwankwaso, El rufai, Lai Mohammed, etc. These
people can't be "using our heads" all the time.
So when Akwa Ibom people keep mute to this
political persecution and declare themselves
prosecutors of their own that to me is
indescribable suicidal wisdom. We all have our
nuances and political sentiments but we must
look beyond our nose and act beyond revenge.
Let those who say our giant should die first
convict their own giants for worse crimes.
Justice in the words of Niki Toby JSC is a Three
Way Traffic. Justice for the victim, justice for
the accused and justice for the society. It must
not only be done but also be seen to be done.
At various times I've praised and I've criticised
Sen. Godswil Akpabio. Now I'm not defending
him except I'm so briefed but I owe myself and
people of Akwa Ibom if not South-South and
Nigeria as a whole the duty to identify the
systemic nay political foul play against us. On
the other hand I sincerely do not see what the
excitement is over his foreplay with the EFCC.
Whether he's arrested or invited doesn't matter
the good thing is that the agency is doing its
job. Those supporting him need not fear if he
has nothing to hide. If he's clean there's no
cause for alarm. Those against him on the other
hand should let justice be. There's no need
searching the beach for dust. If there's a good
case against him good if there isn't the
heartbreak would be all theirs to bear.
For me politicians are not worth the war of the
public. They feign enemies in the day before us
but do romance at night when we aren't there to
see.
Selective justice is acute injustice.