Group hails CJN for stepping aside for corruption allegation
The Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) a non-governmental organization has hailed the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu for stepping aside to allow for unhindered investigations into the allegations of unethical conduct made against him and the Appeal Court President, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, saying; “The CJN has followed the path of honour and Justice Salami too should follow suit.”
The group said in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that; “Since it is immoral for anyone to sit in judgment over his own case, the CJN did the right by stepping aside and allowing his deputy, Justice Dahiru Musdapher to preside over the National Judicial Council (NJC) emergency meeting slated for tomorrow.”
“What the CJN has done is highly commendable and we wish to state without sounding immodest that he has further earned our respect.
“By his actions since the controversies in the judiciary broke out, the CJN has shown that he a leader that will never betray his emotion under whatever circumstances. This is because, if he had opted to embark on media propaganda and mudslinging as done by Justice Salami, the entire institution of judiciary in the country would have been totally messed up.
“Yesterday, Justice Katsina-Alu further demonstrated that he has nothing to hide and this is exactly what Justice Salami ought to have done on the Osun and Ekiti cases since his friends were involved, but because of pecuniary interest, he not only empanelled his 'hatchet men' but also made sure that he superintended over the Ekiti case.
“It is therefore our belief that if the Appeal Court President and his 'eight trusted men' do not have anything to hide too, they should gladly submit themselves to the NJC investigation.
“Furthermore, Justice Salami should also be glad to call for the review of the judgments on Osun and Ekiti States election appeal cases.
Justice Salami should also explain his three hour secret meeting with Governor of Ekiti state Dr Kayode Fayemi, a beneficiary of his (Salami) controversial judgement few weeks ago. If the visit was official, why was it kept out of public glare?
“Also, since we already know the Appeal Court Justices that Justice Salami can trust, he must tell Nigerians those he does not trust and why he cannot trust them.
“The Appeal Court President must also tell Nigerians what 'trust' meant to him. Was it that he cannot trust the justices to act according to the whim and caprices of his paymasters or that he cannot trust them to discharge their duties in accordance with their oath of office. And if the trust has to do with the discharge of their duties in accordance with the laws of the land, has Justice Salami called the attention of the NJC to this lack of trust?