Bayelsa: Rep condemns attack on Justice Odili’s residence

The deputy minority leader, House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu, has condemned the attack on the residence of Justice Odili by political hoodlums over the verdict of the apex court on the Bayelsa Governorship election delivered by her.
Okechukwu, in a statement, yesterday, insisted that judicial officers must be free to dispense justice without fear or favour.
The lawmaker charged the Federal Government to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book “before this despicable conduct is entrenched” and becomes a norm in the country.
According to him, “the nation’s judiciary has come under series of attack in recent years and this is dangerous for our democracy, for if the temple of justice be destroyed, what then shall the righteous do?

“Invading or protesting at the residence of a judge on account of a judgement delivered in discharge of his or her constitutional duty is completely untoward, out of order, and a deliberate inducement of fear, and presupposes a state of anomie.
“This is more worrisome given that such bad examples are easily normalised and gain a bandwagon effect in our polity.
This has never happened in the nation’s history. It should never have happened; and it must never happen again.
“A situation where every party to a dispute or their supporters should vent their disagreement with court judgments by protesting at judges’ homes instead of seeking redresses in court is an only invitation to a full-blown anarchy, hence the Presidency should get the law enforcement agencies to halt the emerging trend.”