Mr Viral
By Nwabueze Okonkwo
ONITSHA — Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, former lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed concern over what he described as unprofessional handling of the high-profile case by individuals he says lacked the depth required for such sensitive legal matters.
Ejiofor, who led Kanu’s legal team from 2015 until December 2023—after which Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, assumed leadership in 2022—recalled that the legal team had already secured significant victories, including the 2022 Court of Appeal decision that discharged and acquitted Kanu.
Reacting to the life imprisonment sentence delivered on Thursday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Ejiofor stated that his team had been pursuing additional relief through what he described as sustained legal strategy, diplomacy, and careful advocacy. He said the process was disrupted after sensitive details about ongoing efforts became public.
He explained that the situation eventually led to a change in the legal team, after which he and Ozekhome withdrew from the matter.
In a statement titled “Nnamdi Kanu’s Avoidable Ordeal: How Amateur Legal Showmanship Led a High-Profile Case into a Judicial Ambush”, Ejiofor lamented what he called the transformation of a serious criminal trial into a public spectacle.
He said he had initially refrained from commenting out of respect for the sensitivity of the moment but felt compelled to speak following numerous enquiries from concerned individuals.
Ejiofor reflected on his years handling the case, referencing the legal milestones achieved and the personal risks he said he endured in the course of representation.
According to him, the challenges escalated when individuals he described as inexperienced took approaches that, in his view, prioritised public attention over legal strategy.
He argued that this shift contributed to avoidable complications, adding that misleading public commentary and excessive media engagement created contradictions that negatively affected courtroom proceedings.
Ejiofor also noted concerns over the encouragement of self-representation despite judicial warnings on its risks in complex constitutional matters.
He questioned why respected Senior Advocates of Nigeria who had previously contributed to the defence were no longer involved at critical stages.
Looking ahead, Ejiofor called for a careful reassessment of the legal approach if seasoned experts are to re-engage the matter.
He emphasised the need for reduced publicity, a coherent methodology, and a disciplined strategy moving forward, stressing that this is not a moment for theatrics but one for sober, competent legal work.
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