Former governor of Edo State, Adam Oshiomhole, says he is a beneficiary of a very courageous judiciary which saved him from spending time in prison as a convict.

Oshiomhole, who served as the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) from 1999 to 2007 and is the immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said this when he received the leadership of the Law Students Association of Nigeria, led by Blessing Abonmhere, in his private office, in Abuja, at the weekend.

He noted that if not for the courage exhibited by judges as well as their respect for rule of law, he would have been an ex-convict on account of his activism.

“I am not a lawyer; even though in the course of my journey in life, I realised that I wished I had read law but I know it is too late for me now,” he said.

“I know it is never late but I didn’t want to read law for reading sake but that I can practice. However, given my age, it would have been embarrassing to graduate, go through Law School, only to be carrying a bag for my grandchildren’s mate to the court. I guess that it is too late for me.

“I always say that I have been a beneficiary of very courageous judiciary and for a courageous judiciary, I would have been a convict because in the course of my work as a trade union leader, when I stepped on the toes on government redline, they deploy all the weapons including the police, had me arrested countless times, arraigned before magistrates and judges for all kinds of charges, like unlawful assembly and incitement.

“But each time they did that, I have been fortunate to appear before judges with courage. I have been defended by lawyers, who most of the time provided their knowledge of the law and intellectual sagacity to defend me from government after government.”