The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal
Matters, on Tuesday, received a fresh order to probe the erstwhile Chief
Justice, Tanko Muhammed over the allegations of corruption raised against him
by some justices of the Supreme Court.
14 Justices of the Supreme Court had recently leveled
allegations of corruption against Tanko Mohammed, which the ex-CJN denied.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has then mandated
the Committee led by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele to probe the allegations leveled
against the ex-CJN and the crisis presently rocking the judiciary.
Lawan said, “ The chamber mandates the Senate Committee on
Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to go ahead with its assignment in
the quest to find a lasting solution to the matter by interacting with relevant
stakeholders to address the complaints raised in the petition by the Justices
of the Supreme Court.
The Senate “Mandate the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human
Rights and Legal Matters to interface with the relevant stakeholders in the
three Arms of Government as well as at the Bar and on the Bench to collate
aggregate views and positions on the short term, medium term and long term
measures needed to decisively address the crisis facing the Judiciary,
including the immediate fiscal intervention as well as long term and
sustainable budgetary allocations, required for the optimal performance of the
Judiciary, in line with global best practices; and urge the Senate to wish the
Hon. Chief Justice well, following many years of meritorious service to the
nation and to pray for his good health.”
The Senate noted that on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, Lawan drew the attention of the Senate to the
media reports on the state of affairs in the Supreme Court of Nigeria, whereby
Justices of the Court, through a petition signed by majority of them, raised
issues bothering on deplorable welfare conditions and difficult working
environment for the Justices, which was addressed to the Hon. Chief Justice of
Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council.
He also noted that the President of the Senate emphasised
the need for the Senate to urgently step into the matter as any issue that
concerns the Judiciary is an issue of urgent national importance that the
Senate could not afford to sit idly by and allow to spiral out of control.
Accordingly, the President of the Senate directed the Senate
Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to get involved in the
matter with a view to unravelling the root cause of the recent development in
the Judiciary and how best the Senate can intervene in order to address the
concerns raised by the Justices.
Lawan noted that Justices were taciturn and reticent in
handling issues outside their judicial domain but resorting to such measures in
order to protect the Judiciary, required the Senate to rise up to the occasion
to ensure that their demands were addressed.
The committee chairman, Senator Bamidele said his team was
taking steps to look into the matter as directed by the President of the Senate
by making arrangements to interface with relevant stakeholders both at the Bar
and on the Bench.
Bamidele said, “The poor welfare of Judicial Officers would
affect the delivery of the judiciary in respect of their output and will
prevent them from performing optimally.
“The sacred image of the Judiciary, which is the epicentre
of the temple of justice should be preserved by the Senate through appropriate
legislative measures in order to safeguard this highly revered institution and
prevent it from being ridiculed.”
Bamidele added that it is a regret that the Hon. Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed on Sunday, June 27, 2022, voluntarily resigned his
appointment on grounds of ill-health, leaving the most senior Justice to act as
the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. However, this development would not
prevent the Committee from going ahead with its assignment in the quest to find
a probable lasting solution to the matter.
He stated, “Though Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed has
stepped down as CJN, most of the issues raised by the Justices of the Supreme
Court and other stakeholders within the Judiciary, still remain and need to be
addressed urgently to prevent an eventual shutdown of the Judiciary.”
Muhammad’s resignation was made public on Monday morning after he tendered his resignation on the grounds of ill-health. Some Senior Advocates of Nigeria, lawyers, civil rights groups and some branches of the Nigerian Bar Association on Monday called for the probe of the erstwhile Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Muhammad.
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