“I Wanted Kanu Bail to be Restored as the First Test of the Impartiality of the Judge.” — Ejimakor

The revocation of Nnamdi Kanu’s earlier bail before his conviction has consistently been cited by his legal team as a foundational flaw in his judicial process, suggesting institutional bias. This action, taken after his non-appearance in court, created an environment of distrust regarding the fairness of the subsequent trial proceedings against the separatist leader. The Supreme Court itself had previously criticized the revocation of the bail, an unprecedented judicial step that raised questions about the judge’s neutrality, according to Kanu’s former lawyer.

According to a video posted on the Official YouTube channel of SYMFONI, During his tenure as Kanu’s lead counsel, Ejimakor pursued the restoration of the bail as a crucial step, emphatically stating, “I wanted his bail to be restored as the first test of the impartiality of the judge.” This move was designed to demonstrate whether the court was prepared to offer fair play and a truly level judicial field before subjecting Kanu to the main trial, especially given the politically charged nature of the case.

The refusal by the court to restore Kanu’s bail only deepened the fears that the judicial “deck had been stacked” against him, indicating a high political interest in securing his conviction rather than simply ensuring a fair trial. Ejimakor recalled taking “strong, muscular steps” to halt the trial until the bail and jurisdictional issues were addressed, highlighting the struggle to prevent the outcome that eventually saw Kanu convicted on multiple terrorism charges.

Ejimakor had also objected to the court’s authority to try Kanu, arguing that key issues, particularly concerning jurisdiction and the use of repealed laws, needed to be resolved first, notwithstanding the Supreme Court sending the case back. These objections, alongside the demand for bail restoration, represented strategic attempts to challenge the structural integrity of the prosecution, which many viewed as being driven by political rather than purely legal colorations.

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