Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Samson Osagie, has denied the allegations that he met with Justice Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court over the Edo governorship election petition pending before the apex court.
Osagie, who spoke in Benin in an address delivered at the June 2025 monthly meeting of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch, held at the Bar House, Benin City, described the allegations by Professor Chidi Odinkalu, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, as a “wicked, malicious and unpatriotic vitriolic attack.”
He denied any judicial interference in the ongoing governorship appeal before the Supreme Court and called on legal professionals to uphold ethical standards, especially in the use of social media.
In a video which has since gone viral, Professor Odinkalu had alleged that the Edo Attorney General and Justice Okoro of the Supreme Court were seen leaving the Protea Hotel, Benin, on 10 June 2025.
Refuting the allegation, Osagie described it as a “wicked, malicious and unpatriotic vitriolic attack” and insisted there was “no meeting of any kind” with any judicial officer regarding the pending appeal.
Citing a clarifying statement issued by the Supreme Court, Osagie said the Justice in question had been granted permission to attend a private social engagement in Benin City involving a former President of the African Bar Association.
“Assuming but not conceding that I was in the said facility, how does that translate to meeting with the jurist?” he asked rhetorically.
Describing the video evidence circulated by Odinkalu’s associates as inconclusive and defamatory, Osagie said: “There is nowhere my image was shown. Such an attempt to undermine our joint image and professional standing is a conduct unbecoming of a lawyer of that status.”
He urged legal practitioners to avoid weaponising social media to harm reputations, emphasising that criticism must be based on “verifiable and unimpeachable facts.”
Speaking on the Benin City NBA branch meeting, Osagie said the event marked his first opportunity to formally address the Lion Bar since his call to the Nigerian Bar over 30 years ago.
“This opportunity is remarkable in many respects. I am doing so as the Chief Law Officer of our dear state,” he said, reflecting on his legal journey since joining the NBA Benin Branch in 1996.
Praising the NBA Benin Branch for its consistent role in leading legal reforms and professional development, Osagie noted, “The Lion Bar has remained a trailblazer in peaceful transitions and implementation of the association’s policies.”
Commenting on the state’s commitment to justice, Osagie stated, “This government under Senator Monday Okpebholo is determined to uphold the rule of law but recognises that such rights must be exercised within the bounds of the law.”
He acknowledged that more could still be done to support the legal profession but emphasised that the administration is focused on citizen welfare and lawful governance.
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