By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) -Human rights lawyer and public affairs commentator, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has reacted to the acquittal of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, by a Crown Court in London, urging former Abia State governor and senator, Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK), to also submit himself to a full trial before a credible court if he believes in his innocence.
In a statement posted on his social media platform, Odinkalu said Diezani had been cleared of all charges following a high-profile corruption trial in the United Kingdom, describing the outcome as an example of due judicial process.
According to him, the acquittal demonstrates the importance of allowing allegations to be tested in open court rather than relying on technical legal victories or political narratives.
“Diezani has been acquitted on all counts at the end of a high-profile corruption trial before the Crown Court in London,” Odinkalu stated.
He argued that the development should serve as a precedent for Kalu, who has faced legal battles over corruption allegations in Nigeria, to seek a definitive judicial determination of his case through a full trial before what he described as a credible court.
“I hope that Orji Uzor Kalu will look at this and insist on taking his turn at an acquittal at the end of a full trial before a credible court,” Odinkalu said.
The former chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission maintained that public office holders and political actors accused of wrongdoing should be willing to subject themselves to transparent judicial scrutiny in order to clear their names.
Odinkalu further warned that if Kalu fails to pursue such a course, Nigerians may have to reconsider his continued relevance in the country’s political landscape.
“If not, then let’s retire OUK. We do not need a criminal in politics,” he added.
His remarks are likely to reignite debate over accountability, corruption prosecutions, and the role of the judiciary in resolving high-profile political cases in Nigeria.
The comments come amid continuing public discussions on the prosecution of politically exposed persons and growing calls for stronger institutions capable of delivering impartial justice, regardless of status or influence.
