Diri’s Media Aide, Ikuli, Vows to Appeal Bayelsa High Court Judgment
By Jonah Fubara, YENAGOA – The Technical Adviser to Bayelsa State Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Chief (Hon.) Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli, JP, has vowed to challenge a recent Bayelsa State High Court judgment, insisting that the legal dispute arising from the crisis in the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) is far from over.
Ikuli, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, November 3, said his lawyers were studying the judgment to determine the appropriate grounds for an appeal.
He described the ruling being referenced by George Alabh Turnah and his associates as part of a prolonged legal dispute connected to the IYC crisis, which occurred while he served as National Director of Mobilisation and Chairman of the Action Committee of IYC Worldwide.
According to him, Udengs Eradiri had previously instituted a suit against him at the Bayelsa State High Court over issues relating to the crisis, but the court ruled in his favour and awarded him ₦3 million in damages.
Ikuli added that Eradiri subsequently appealed the judgment, expressing the belief that the matter could eventually proceed to the Supreme Court.
He maintained that the latest judgment did not bring the legal proceedings to an end, describing the situation as the beginning of another stage in the legal process.
“The legal journey just began,” he said, adding that his lawyers were reviewing the decision to determine the next course of action.
Ikuli also rejected suggestions that the judgment could prevent him from carrying out his media responsibilities, insisting that he would continue his professional activities while pursuing the available legal remedies.
In his statement, he criticised Turnah and those celebrating the judgment, accusing them of misrepresenting the legal issues and attempting to use the court decision to discredit him.
He also drew a distinction between his own legal dispute, which he described as civil, and Turnah’s criminal conviction.
In May 2026, the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt upheld Turnah’s conviction and prison sentence over offences relating to failure to fully disclose his assets to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ikuli said he remained confident that the legal issues surrounding the IYC-related dispute would ultimately be determined through the appellate process.
