Salami's Suit: NJC Still Won't Accept Court Papers

ABUJA, August 16, (THEWILL) – The cat and mouse game between National Judicial Council (NJC) and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami continued Tuesday with the NJC’s continued refusal to accept court papers in the suit filed by Salami seeking to quash the directive of the Council.

THEWILL gathered that no personnel at the office of the Council located in the Three Arms Zone was willing to accept the court papers. A security man who had initially accepted the document dropped it on the floor right inside the NJC property.

Recall that the NJC on Monday refused to be served after an attempt was made by Salami’s lawyers to serve the Council.

The NJC following the recommendation of the panel it charged to investigate the alleged infractions by Justice Salami and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, had directed Salami to issue two apologies in writing -- one to the CJN and the other to NJC, but Salami has refused to obey the directive.

The head of Salami’s legal team, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi, SAN, who was once an Attorney General and Minister of Justice has however warned that the NJC’s action could impact negatively on justice in Nigeria, adding that a substitute means would be used to serve the NJC after an approval would have been obtained from the Federal High Court in Abuja.

No personnel of the NJC agreed to speak to THEWILL on the development.

As THEWILL had previously reported, the NJC is scheduled to meet on Thursday to deliberate on sanctions for the President of the Court of Appeal. A source familiar with the development had told THEWILL that a recommendation for Salami’s dismissal from office may be adopted.