Legal practitioner Christopher Chidera, Esq., has issued a fiery rebuke to the Nigerian press, accusing mainstream media outlets of deliberately misleading the public regarding the legal grounds of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal.
In a formal statement titled "An Open Rebuke to the Nigerian Press: Stop Gaslighting the Public on Kanu's Conviction," Chidera argued that media coverage has reduced Kanu's appeal to a minor procedural issue—specifically an allocutus (plea for leniency)—while ignoring fundamental constitutional defects in the judgment delivered by Justice James Kolawole Omotosho.
Conviction Under a Repealed Statute
At the core of the controversy is the legal framework used to convict the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
According to Chidera, Justice Omotosho convicted Kanu under the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 (TPAA). However, Section 98(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 (TPPA) explicitly repealed the 2013 Act on May 12, 2022.
Chidera contends that delivering a conviction under a repealed statute violates Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prohibits convicting any person under a law that is not in force at the time of judgment.
"This is not a 'technicality.' This is a jurisdictional nullity," Chidera stated. "By reporting this case as if the TPAA still had legal life, [the media has] deceived the public into believing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was convicted under a valid statute."
Rejection of the Savings Clause
Addressing the trial court's reliance on Section 98(3) of the 2022 Act—a savings clause designed to preserve pending proceedings—Chidera argued that such clauses cannot be used to sustain a fresh conviction under an extinct law years after its repeal.
He further asserted that media focus on the judge's denial of an allocutus acts as a "smokescreen" to divert public attention from the core issue of legislative nullity.
Allegations of Institutional and Ethnic Bias
The statement went further to criticize the editorial posture of major media houses, alleging that selective reporting serves to shield high-ranking judicial and government officials involved in the prosecution.
Chidera pointedly named several key figures across the judiciary and executive branches, raising concerns over institutional balance and systemic ethnic bias within the judicial process:
Trial Judge: Justice James Kolawole Omotosho
Private Prosecutor: Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN
Attorney General of the Federation: Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN
Director-General of the DSS: Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi
Chief Justice of Nigeria: Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun
Minister of Interior: Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
Call to Action for the Press
Concluding his statement, Chidera warned that while the Court of Appeal will ultimately rule on the legal validity of the conviction, the press has failed its primary duty to hold power accountable. He called on newsrooms across the country to report the constitutional specifics of the appeal accurately.