Why Jonathan sacked Justice Salami – Ayo Opadokun

Posted by admin Judiciary, Latest Politics Saturday, September 10th, 2011

The Coordinator, Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, has said the Presidency sacked Justice Ayo Salami because it did not want him to continue to preside over the presidential election tribunal.

Salami, who was the President of the Court of Appeal, also presided over the presidential election petitions tribunal until he was removed in controversial circumstances via the advice of the National Judicial Council. Opadokun stated this in an interview with journalists, shortly after a street was renamed after him by Mr. Olajide Jimoh, the chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area, in Lagos on Friday.

The pro-democracy activist said, “You will remember that (Justice Ayo) Salami was the Chairman of the tribunal dealing with the presidential election petitions tribunal. Then it can be said that there was a hidden agenda.

“They did not want him (Salami) to continue to preside over that election tribunal especially when the tribunal granted the CPC request that the database upon which the election registration of voters was anchored should be produced to it.

“And it is believed strongly that the Independent National Electoral Commission could not produce the databse. INEC had nothing to show for it.”

He criticised President Goodluck Jonathan for acceding to the request of the NJC, saying that what he did by removing Salami amounted to him presiding over his own matter.

Opadokun, who rejected the NJC’s position on Salami, lamented that the rule of law which is the basic platform upon which the modern society is constructed, was not followed.

He said, “Under the fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution, fair trial demands that a man being accused is allowed to seek redress to determine if such fellow is guilty or not.

“In the circumstance of what had been done by the NJC, suspending Salami was an illegality. Because if you remember the offence for which he was being persecuted was that he refused to bow down to the wishes of his persecutors. They said that he lied on oath which is a perjury. Perjury is a criminal offence.

“If you now ask Salami to apologise and he refused, you decide to try him and convict him. NJC is wrong here.”

Opadokun thanked Yaba LCDA for the honour and said he was humbled by the encomiums showered on him by the council and the community.

Earlier, Jide Jimoh, had, while unveiling the council’s compendium, tagged, ‘Yaba Today’, told the capacity crowd that the honour accorded Opadokun; Olawale Oshun and Dapo Bode-Thomas, was a deliberate policy of giving honour to whom it is due.

He named Harvey Street, by Customs as Ayo Opadokun Avenue; Wright Street as Olawale Oshun Street and Araoti Street as Dapo Bode-Thomas Street.

-Punchwp_posts