Former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said he would have been a convict but for a courageous judiciary that lived above partisanship.
He spoke at the weekend while hosting members of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSON) in his office in Abuja.
Oshiomhole, who was invited as guest speaker at the forthcoming National Conference on Rule of Law by LAWSON, said he was a beneficiary of a courageous judiciary.
“I have been a beneficiary of very courageous judiciary and for a courageous judiciary, I would have been a convict because in the course of my work as a trade union leader, when I stepped on the toes on government redline, they deployed all the weapons including the police.
“They had me arrested countless times, arraigned before Magistrates and Judges for all kinds of charges, like unlawful assembly and incitement.
‘’But each time they did that, I have been fortunate to appear before judges with courage.
“I have been defended by lawyers who most of the time provided their knowledge of the law and intellectual sagacity to defend me from government after government.”
The former labour leader further recalled his decision to contest for Edo governorship would have been truncated but for the judiciary.
Going the memory lane, Oshiomole said: “I am a beneficiary of the rule of law that most Nigerians will remembered. I was rigged out of election in Edo State.
‘’When I contested for governorship in 2007 but for a very courageous judiciary and the industry of very learned senior members of the bar.
“The fact of rigging established before the court at the state and appeal levels. I think I am in history the only person rigged out of election and courtesy courageous judiciary, I was declared the winner and INEC was ordered to swear me in.
“All my life, I will be appreciative of the role of judiciary in our society not withstanding whatever criticism anybody may have. For me, I will say without fear or favour that I am a beneficiary of a courageous judiciary,’’ he said.
