NJC which said it has gathered enough material evidence to enable it commence full-blown investigation into the mounting allegations of corruption threatening to erode the integrity of the judiciary, equally ordered the duo to prepare and forward their defence before that slated date.
Though the CJN is literally the head of the NJC and by virtue of his position superintends over its meetings, however, the legal body which consists of senior members of the judicial arm of government in the country, decided to summon him in view of the fact that he is directly involved in the corruption saga.
A statement issued by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Sunday Olorundahunsi, quoted the Deputy National Chairman of the NJC, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, in an invitation letter to the CJN, as saying that the fifth emergency meeting of the council, billed for Wednesday, March 9, would deliberate on “various petitions and allegations levelled against Your Lordship and the Hon. President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami.”
The invitation letter with reference No. NJC/F.1/SC.1/132, is entitled, “Re_Allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the duo of the CJN and PCA: The need for sound ethical and administrative investigations and appropriate sanctions against them, if culpable.”
It reads: “As Your Lordship is aware, the fifth emergency meeting of the National Judicial Council has been slated for March 9, 2011, particularly to deliberate on the various petitions levelled against your Lordship and the Hon. President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami.
“I, therefore, forward herewith a copy of the petition I have received dated February 24, 2011 by one International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, against you and the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal.
“It is self_explanatory; Your Lordship would kindly oblige the council your response to the petition before March 9, please.”
It will be recalled that the Judiciary is currently enmeshed in crisis following allegations of corruption that came to the fore after the CJN made futile attempts to promote the PCA to the Supreme Court bench.
Allegations of corruption
The Appeal Court President had promptly resisted such moves even as he went ahead and opened several cans of worms that greatly indicted the CJN of corruption.
In an affidavit he personally deposed to in support of a suit he filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Salami disclosed how the CJN mounted pressure on him to compromise in the Sokoto State gubernatorial case.
He alleged that his relationship with the CJN went awry since the day he refused to comply with his directive that he should disband the panel of Appeal Court Justices that sat over the political matter.
Salami said: “I have all along enjoyed my work as President of the Court of Appeal and did not have any issues or disagreement with the 1st defendant, Katsina_Alu, until the controversies over the gubernatorial election petition in Sokoto state came to light.
“Following my appointment as the President of the Court of Appeal, I found among the pending election petition appeals, the Sokoto State Gubernatorial election petition appeal.
“I set up panels of the Appeal Court to dispose of the pending petitions including that of Sokoto. I was, however, shocked when subsequent to the setting up of a panel on the Sokoto Gubernatorial election petition appeal, and after all parties had filed and exchange briefs, adopted same and judgment reserved the 1st defendant summoned me by telephone to his office in Abuja.
“The 1st defendant asked me to disband the panel I had set up for the appeal on the excuse that if the panel allowed the appeal and removed the Governor, the ripple effect would lead to a removal of our highly revered Sultan of Sokoto.”
“The 1st Defendant could not convince me on the logic predicating his reasoning especially as the Sultan was not a party to the election petition and as there is no nexus between any of the parties and the sultan, so I told him I would not disband the panel. The 1st Defendant then said in the alternative that I should direct the panel of justices to decide against the Appellant.
“To this again, I still said No that I would not do anything to pervert the cause of justice.
“When the matter came before the 3rd Defendant (NJC), the Committee set up to look into the complaint vindicated me and in clear terms told the 1st Defendant, he had no Constitutional and Statutory power to stop proceedings in any division of the Court of Appeal as he did. Since then there has been no love lost between me and the 1st Defendant.
“That the appeal in the Sokoto Gubernatorial election petition which was pending before the Sokoto Court of Appeal was eventually dismissed by the Supreme Court on November 21, 2010 notwithstanding that the appeal was not before the Supreme Court.”
Likewise, several persons have equally petitioned the NJC alleging corruption against Justice Salami.
Among them were ex_Governors, Segun Oni and Iyiola Olagunsoye Oyinola, Ekiti and Osun states respectively, sequel to their sack by different panels of Appeal Court Justices constituted by Justice Salami.
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