NBA Confab: Group Protests Salami’s Removal

A group of coalition societies in Nigeria under the umbrella of campaign  against corruption  in the judiciary, lawyers of conscience, social action & civil society coalition have protested against the removal of the President, Court of Appeal Justice, Isa Ayo Salami, by President Goodluck Jonathan, over allegation  of misconduct by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Mr. Debo Adeniran, led the protest march at the venue of the opening ceremony of the Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the    main bowl of the Civic Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Monday.

The protesters, numbering about one hundred, carried placards with various inscriptions like,  “All lawyers should boycott court  proceedings until the corrupt Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) is removed. “CJN wants to kill democracy”, we don’t  want justice to be murdered in this country” and NJC not fair to Salami and Nigerians say no to  Judicial Rascalism”, among others.

Mr. Adeniran stated that President Jonathan  erred by appointing an acting President of the Court of Appeal, noting that he has no power under the1999 constitution to make such appointment.

According to him, it is only the National Assembly that is vested with the power for such appointment adding that Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) did not give  fair hearing to Justice Salami before recommending for his retirement.

He stated that the national judicial council should have been the vanguard  for rule of law, judicial  integrity and sanctity in the country but regretted  that it has rather turned itself into a motor park strategist adopting a method of self  help in order to redress its grievance in modern times.

His words: “it is  rather  disappointing to find that judicial officers who are supposed  to protect the integrity of the law are engaging in judicial recklessness and lawlessness. They became power drunk simply because they are in a position of authority to determine  the fate of others”.

The NJC has exhibited  bias from the beginning when it set  up the Abdullahi committee to conduct fact- finding into the allegations of undue  interference by Justice Kastina-Alu in the Sokoto State Governorship Appeal Tribunal.

Justice  Kastina-Alu, he opined arrogated to himself a power he did not possess to halt judicial proceedings before another  court in a matter in which  his court had no jurisdiction.”

Mr Adeniran averred that the country’s judiciary system has become an embarrassment adding  that  a situation where courageous  judge cannot be allowed to deliver sound judgment is unfair.

The CACOL executive chairman commended  the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association  (NBA) on its decision to withdraw its members from the NJC activities  and urged  the association to also boycott  the valedictory court session whenever Katsina-Alu would leave  office.

Ekweme Marylin