GROUP ACCUSES ACN, TINUBU OF PLANNING MEDIA WAR AGAINST CJN
The Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) a non-governmental organization has raised the alarm of plan by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its financier, Senator Bola Tinubu to wage media war against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu with a view to saving the embattled Court of Appeal President, Justice Isa Ayo Salami.
The group in a statement by its Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku alleged that Justice Salami alongside some ACN chieftains and lawyers met in Lagos last week to review the controversies over the Appeal Court judgments on Osun and Ekiti States, and resolved that; “the ACN propaganda machinery, which went to bed after the judgments must go to work immediately.”
Ubeku also alleged that a plot to embarrass the CJN, using the House of Representatives was hatched with a member of the House of Representatives, who is a principal officer as the chief executioner of the plot.
“We wish to alert the public on another round of media war being planned against the CJN by the ACN and its men in the appellate court.
“The plot is stemmed from the failure of propaganda war unleashed on the CJN at the wake of the rumoured elevation of Justice Salami to the Supreme Court and the need stall the impending probe of the embattled appellate court president.
“Also, the revelation of telephone conversations among Tinubu, ACN lawyers and Justice Salami was also said to have shocked the camp of the former governor, prompting the emergency meeting where it was resolved that; 'the situation can only be redeemed through roforofo fight.”
“A principal officer in the House of Representatives, who also attended the meeting was mandated to coordinate 'a probe of the CJN'
while the propaganda machinery, which was upbraided for going to sleep after the Ekiti and Osun States judgments was re-oiled and mandated to get cracking.
“The propaganda team is expected to come up with 'think stories' aimed at discrediting Justice Katsina-Alu and blackmailing President Goodluck Jonathan, ascribing roles to them in the Ekiti and Osun States judgments controversies,” the group alleged.
While reiterating its call for the probe of Justice Salami's recent outburst, the group said; ''If the president of the Court of Appeal does not trust most of his colleagues as to empanel them in the Election petition cases, what is the fate of the common man who regards the judiciary as the last hope?
“Justice Salami must also explain his three hour secret meeting with Governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Fayemi recently. If the visit was official , why was it kept out of public glare?”