Date Published: 05/10/11

Group slams Ex-ICPC Boss over comment on NJC Panel

The Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has berated the immediate past Chairman of the Independent Corrupt and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi over his comment on the National Judicial Council (NJC) Panel investigating allegations of unethical behaviours against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Issa Ayo Salami.

The group said in a statement issued in Abuja by its Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that such comments credited to Justice Akanbi could only be made by “paid agents of beneficiaries of Justice Salami’s judicial supermarket.”

Justice Akanbi had insinuated during a Town Hall Meeting organised by the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) in Ilorin last Saturday that by the composition of the NJC panel, “...You can see that the sky is clearly loaded against the PCA (Salami).”

However, in its reaction, the SRLN said it was insulting that a retired judge of Justice Akanbi’s standing could go to such a ridiculous extent in trying to find an escape route for Justice Salami, whom he (Akanbi) eulogised when the controversial judgment on the Ekiti governorship appeal was delivered, describing him (Salami) as a “a strong force, competent, hardworking, loyal and very altruistic. ... Honestly, I trust the integrity of Salami.”

“To say the least, Justice Akanbi’s comment on the NJC panel was uncharitable, glaringly bias and an attempt to arm-twist the panel into providing a cover-up for the PCA and his ‘trusted justices’.

“More ridiculous is also the fact that Justice Akanbi chooses to close his eyes to the fact that the same lawyers who stood for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the controversial Ekiti and Osun States governorship cases are the ones defending Justice Salami before the NJC Panel.

“If lawyers like Mr. Niyi Akintola (SAN), who stood for the ACN are the same ones defending Salami before the NJC Panel, does it not goes to show that the PCA could not have been above board in handling cases involving those lawyers, who are by all standard his friends? And if tomorrow, we have a case before Salami in which any of the lawyers is a party, can we be sure of untainted justice?

“Isn’t it is like a referee, who is facing FIFA disciplinary panel for unduly awarding a penalty kick in favour of a team like Manchester United appointing Alex Fergusion's wife as his counsel? Won't that be enough proof that he gave the penalty to favour his friend's team? “Therefore, it is obvious that Justice Akanbi was being clever by half in his attempt to assist his ‘judicial son’, Justice Salami to escape the NJC hammer while at the same masquerading as a defender of the integrity of the judiciary. He should be ignored,” SRLN said.