EKITI GROUP BERATES JUSTICE SALAMI OVER ATTACK ON CJN

By Tunji Oluwasanmi

The Ekiti Justice Group (EJG) has berated the Appeal Court President,

Justice Isa Ayo Salami for choosing to attack the Chief Justice of

Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Iyorger Katsina-Alu over alleged move

to elevate him to the Supreme Court.
Reacting to the letter written to the CJN by Justice Salami on the

alleged elevation plan, EJG, in a statement signed by its National

Coordinator, Dr. Tunji Oluwasanmi said; “Only a man that has something

to hide would be afraid of being promoted.”
The group warned Justice Salami of the consequences of his actions;

saying; “It is obvious that the Appeal Court president has decided to

pull the judiciary into the mud even if he must go down.”

“Justice Salami himself admitted that he does not trust all the

justices of the Appeal Court. He also admitted that there had been

conflicting judgments from the Appeal Court.
“He said he only assigned election cases to those he can trust among

the justices and the ones he can trust were only nine out of over 60

justices. How then can Justice Salami continue to lead people who are

not trustworthy?
“Besides, is there any law that says Appeal Court President cannot be

promoted to the Supreme Court when Chief Judges of High Courts are

promoted to the Appeal Court?
“Obviously, Salami and those sponsoring his media attacks on the CJN

and the National Judicial Council (NJC) has something to hide and this

is the time we, the masses of this country would know whether to still

continue to respect the judiciary or not,” the group said.

While also urging the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to join in the

battle to save the judiciary from self destruction; the group said;

“We are aware that the NBA is divided on this matter and this is

dangerous for the polity.
“Beneficiaries of Justice Salami-led Appeal Court conflicting

judgments in the bar and political class are already jittery of their

benefactor's exit from the Appellate Court and their fear is

understandable. 2011 general elections is around the corner and they

would need almighty Justice Salami to facilitate judicial victories

for them again!
“It is even being said in Ekiti now that the Action Congress of

Nigeria (ACN) Presidential candidate, Malam Nuhu Ribadu will become

Nigeria's next president whether he wins at the poll or not!

“The ACN people are bragging, the way they bragged after the 2009

rerun governorship election that with Salami at the Court of Appeal,

the presidency is theirs!
“Therefore, it is understandable that these people would want to keep

their man at the Appeal Court even if it means destroying the

judiciary.
“But we wish to appeal to the CJN and members of the NJC not to be

deterred by the media war being waged on them by Salami and his

beneficiaries. Rather, they should do that which must be done to save

our judiciary.”