Activist Wants Probe On CJN’s Allegations

An Enugu based political

activist and erstwhile gubernatorial candidate in Anambra State, Mr. Ifeanyi Okonkwo has called on the National Judicial Council of Nigeria (NJC), to probe allegations of corruption leveled against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice  Aloysius  Katsina-Alu.

In a petition dated February 24,2011, in Enugu Monday, Okonkwo stated thus: “With profound respect and humility, I demand for a probe of the far reaching allegations of corruption leveled against Hon. Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, by Justice Ayo Salami, without any further delay.

“I pray you with due respect, to within 14 days of the receipt of this letter of demand to probe Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu”.

Mr. Okonkwo further said: “I am minded to bring to your attention that internal procedures and remedies for the resolution of disputes within the Council is subject to Section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and I hope there would be no need for me to issue a Prerogative Writ against the NJC.”

The petitioner, argued that as a statutory regulatory body for judicial officers, the National Judicial Council has a duty cast upon it “to urgently probe/investigate the very far reaching allegation against the Chief Justice of Nigeria for corruption.

“Wherein; Justice Ayo Salami the president of the Court of  Appeal had accused Justice Katsina-Alu, Chief Justice of Nigeria, is asking him to compromise justice in the Sokoto State Gubernatorial appeal case before the Court of Appeal, which was dismissed by the Supreme Court notwithstanding that the said appeal was not before the Supreme Court”, he said.

He, however, insisted that it was very important that the NJC got to the root of the allegation “through a holistic appraisal of all debilitating corruption eating into and corroding the entire judicial system in Nigeria ; and the penchant of the NJC to treat petitions against judicial officers from laymen with neglect without investigation.”

The activist noted that though the National Judicial Council has given a go ahead to Hon. Justice Salami to remain as the President of the Court of Appeal, following the Council’s decision to reverse his promotion to the Supreme Court bench, a thorough probe into the allegations was still necessary.

The former governorship candidate of the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP) in the 2003 Anambra  State governorship election recalled that his petition against the Supreme Court judges over his encounter with them was still pending uninvestigated with the National Judicial Council.

According to him, based on his petition, the deputy Registrar S.Olorundahunsi wrote him stating among other things; “I am directed to advise you to come properly before the court by way of Motion on Notice”.

“I duly complied and filed a Motion as directed and till date, Hon. Justice Katsina-Alu is sitting on this Motion and refused to fix same for hearing”, he regretted.