Nseobong Okon-Ekong holds a conversation with Professor Peter Umeadi, retired Chief Justice of Anambra State who is building a political structure from the scratch in his effort to become President of Nigeria on the ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance
You have been a judge in Anambra State and you rose through the ranks to become the Chief Judge of the state, a state that has a history of turmoil in politics, what has been your experience in the Anambra State judiciary vis-à-vis, problems in politics?
The judiciary is the third arm of government and that is where you are faced with adjudication of matters that come before the court. Politics is essentially run by the executive and the legislative arms of government. The judiciary is not directly involved in politics, but issues as to methods of choosing political representation which are legal come to court and are decided on the basis of the facts and the law. Having said that, it is safe to say that the judiciary is there doing its job, when called upon to do so in terms of adjudication and interpretation of rules even if they concern politics, as they do with other spheres of life, but the judiciary has no direct relationship with politics.