US group slams NBA, CNPP, others over support for Salami

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Judiciary, Latest Politics Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

A United States of America-based non-governmental organisation, Justice For All Nations (JFAN), has described the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and other groups that are kicking against the suspension of Justice Salami by theNJC as enemies of Nigeria.

The group said it was unfortunate that those who ought to be standing and fighting for justice had been bought over to cover up injustice.

JFAN lamented in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Dr Dada Popoola, that “the so-called human rights activists, the NBA, some section of the media and a clique of retired judges had been blindfolded from seeing and mouth-gaged from saying the truth.

The group added that “this case is simple; Salami was found to have lied on oath. He must be suspended and tried. If found guilty, let him be sent to jail and if not, let him be reinstated, period,” the group said.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan was, on Tuesday, given a 48- hour ultimatum to reinstate the suspended President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, or incur the wrath of the masses.

Also, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon ourable Adeyemi Ikuforiji, described the suspension of Justice Salami by the Nigeria Judicial Commission (NJC) as illegal and an act of civilian dictatorship.

Receiving protesters under the aegis of the rule of law at the assembly complex, he said as a legislative arm of government, the act had been condemned, adding that “we condemn the action of the few people in the cabal.”

It is wrong and every reasonable Nigerian knows that the action of National Judicial Council (NJC) is illegal.”

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Comrade Declan Ihekhaire said the aim of the presidency was to kill the hope of the ordinary people in Nigeria, citing the case of Egypt and Tunisia.

He, therefore, declared that President Goodluck Jonathan must re-instate Justice Ayo Salami within 48 hours or else “we shall make the country ungovernable for him.”

Meanwhile, THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has described the protest by state chapter of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) as “a show of shame by a body that proclaimed itself as the umbrella body of all the political parties in Nigeria.”

In a statement by its director of communication and strategy, Mr Jackson Adebayo, the PDP said “one would have expected really concerned people in this country today to be calling for the immediate prosecution of the retired PCA for committing perjury, an offence that attracts 14-year jail term.”

According to Adebayo, in a statement he made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, on Tuesday, the “protesters are like a group of miscreants who are willing tools in the hand of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government.”

Meanwhile, The South-West chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), on Tuesday, said the appointment of an acting president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Dalhatu Adamu, following the suspension of the incumbent, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, by the National Judicial Council (NJC) casts a thick cloud over the image of the country.

The party, in a statement signed by its director of publicity, Mr Ayo Afolabi and made available to newsmen in Ibadan, Oyo State, said the fact that Justice Salami had gone to court to challenge the suspension gave President Goodluck Jonathan a good standpoint to view the case as sensitive and delicate.

According to the party, President Jonathan ought to have made wide consultations and get proper counsel before taking a leap.

“We see the rushed appointment of Justice Adamu in utter disregard of a pending court case over the matter not only as a travesty of justice, but also as exposing the true nature of our president.

“Without any doubt, this action is in tune with the thinking of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had earlier called for the retirement of the embattled Justice Salami,” the party said.

The ACN said that in the scenario presented by this case, the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysious Katsina-Alu, who by virtue of his position as the chairman of NJC, was the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge in his own case.

The party added that as the final arbiter in this matter, President Jonathan needed caution, which he threw to the winds.

-Tribunewp_posts