Salami must be tried for perjury now - PDP tells AGF, NJC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest has called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to commence the trial of the suspended President Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Isa Ayo Salami for perjury.

The party said; “with what the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher said in the newspapers today about the testimony he gave against Justice Salami at the NJC Probe Panel, the ball is now in the courts of the AGF and NJC for Justice Salami to be tried."

Justice Musdapher had maintained in a published in the Daily Trust newspaper today, that his testimony before the NJC probe panel headed by Justice Umaru Abdullahi that former CJN, Justice Alloysius Katsina Alu was the truth as he knew it. He said the truth was that Katsina-Alu never told Salami in his presence to give judgment in favour of any party in the Sokoto governorship election appeal, as claimed on oath by Justice Salami.

Reacting, PDP Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon. Kayode Babade said; "Now that the CJN, who is the major dramatis personae in the Salami saga has again informed the whole world that Justice Salami actually lied on oath, the AGF should initiate the process of his trial immediately."

The party said the federal government will be sending a wrong signal to Nigerians and the entire people of the world if it fails to prosecute Salami for a criminal offence like perjury.

"That a member of the Bench lied on oath, thereby committing a criminal offence of perjury touches on the foundation of the judge's ability to discharge his duty with honesty and sincerity.

“Perjury is criminal and it attracts 14 years imprisonment according to Section 118 of the Criminal Code. But apart from being a criminal offence, it is immoral for a judge, who sits in judgment over people who commit perjury to be a liar himself.

“Therefore, the AGF and the NJC must commence with immediate effect the trial of Justice Salami.

"Failure to do this will amount to telling Nigerians that lying on oath has now become legal," Babade said.

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