Court hears Salami’s suit today

Posted by admin Judiciary Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

JUSTICE Donaltus Okorowo of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will, this morning, hear the suit filed by the suspended president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, praying it to set aside the decision of the National Judicial Council (NJC) which suspended him last Thursday.

Salami, whose suspension was recommended by NJC and approved by President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday, had, through his legal team headed by Chief Akin Olujinmi, approached the court to challenge his suspension.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the NJC; the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alloysius Katsina–Alu; Justice Dahiru Musdapher; Justice Umaru Abdullahi (retd); Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (retd); Justice D. Edozie (retd); Justice M. Akpiroroh, (retd); Mrs. Rakia Sarki Ibrahim; chairman and members, NJC investigative panel on petitions against Justice Salami, among others.

The civil motion was brought under Order 56 Rule 1 of the Federal High Court.

The plaintiff was seeking for an order setting aside the decision of the first defendant reached on August 18, 2011, purporting to suspend the applicant from office as the president of the Court of Appeal and recommended the applicant to the president for retirement from service.

The plaintiff also wanted the court to nullify or set aside any action or steps taken or being taken in implementation or further implementation of the said decision.

Salami further wanted the court to restore the status quo ante as at the date the said decision was taken by the first defendant/respondent.

Stating as part of grounds of application, Salami sought for the nullification of the letter written by the first defendant, directing him to tender written apology to the first and third defendant within a period of one week from the plaintiff’s receipt of the said letter dated August 9, 2011.

-Tribunewp_posts