Party says recent events prove that the Presidency is trying to silence the judiciary
Lai Mohammed, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) spokesman has said that the statement issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, regarding Justice Ayo Salami’s reinstatement as recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC), is an indication that the Jonathan administration lacks moral character.
The party described the administration as one which had failed to show honour, which is the most essential attribute of any government.
ACN added that the AGF’s statement had also confirmed the belief that the Presidency orchestrated Salami’s suspension in the first instance, as part of a wider plan to cow the judiciary and silence upright judges.
“AGF Adoke’s shocking and disingenuous statement has also exposed the reason behind the temerity of Segun Oni and Olagunsoye Oyinlola to continue to assault the judiciary and anyone who had anything to do with the cases in Ekiti and Osun states,” the opposition party said.
“After all, they know they have the backing of the Attorney-General and the presidency.”
The party said that the Jonathan Administration’s moral deficiency had been exposed by the fact that a President, who cheerfully and speedily approved the suspension of Justice Salami as President of the Court of Appeal, was now stonewalling when called upon to reverse that decision by the same body that recommended the suspension.
“In our earlier statement, we said we are willing to give the President the benefit of the doubt over speculation that the presidency is the one orchestrating the litigation against the reversal of Salami’s suspension. However, it is now clear that the morally-challenged Administration is actually the unseen hand behind such frivolous lawsuits, which have now been latched on to by the same presidency as the reason why Justice Salami cannot be reinstated.”
It further observed that by his statement, the AGF had confirmed that the Executive was fomenting crisis in the Judiciary simply to serve political ends, a very dangerous game in an emerging democracy.
“As the AGF plays the Ostrich, he forgets that Nigerians cannot be hoodwinked by such untenable explanation of the reason for the presidency’s refusal to reinstate Justice Salami. He forgets that Justice Salami had already instituted a lawsuit against the NJC before he was suspended. He forgets that the NJC, which is a defendant in the case, knew what it was doing when it recommended the reinstatement. And he forgets that part of the overall resolution of the crisis is the request by the NJC that all cases pertaining to it should be withdrawn,” ACN added.
By this decision, “the President has opted to sacrifice honour on the platform of political expediency. He has chosen to take what he considers the ‘safe’ way out on an issue that calls for courageous leadership; He has failed to rise to the occasion at a crucial moment.
“President Jonathan may yet rue the decision to ignore the recommendation of the NJC on the reinstatement of Justice Salami.”
