Date Published: 03/16/10

DAILY SUN, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, Page 16

Tinubu: On justice and integrity I stand

My attention has been drawn to a six-page advertorial, run in various newspapers, including the Daily Sun of 12 March 2010, which contains a petition against Hon. Justice Ayo Salami, President of the Court of Appeal. Where the advertorial concerns me is one of the sworn affidavits featured in the publication, by Senator Umaru Dahiru, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, in which he mentioned my name. On Senator Dahiru’s sworn affidavit, as featured in that advertorial, I have the following to say:

•        That I new Senator Umaru Dahiru through Senator Abu Ibrahim, a very close friend of long standing. Ever since I met Senator Dahiru about eight months ago, we have not met socially more than twice.

•        First, it is false that I invited Justice Ayo Salami to my house in Abuja because there was no cause for me to do so; and there was never been any reason for me to do so. So, it is blatant falsehood, Senator Dahiru’s claim that I discussed the Sokoto case with the Honourable Justice and he told me that the case would be reviewed and awarded in favour of the Democratic Peoples Party’s candidate. This is plain fiction.

•        However, as admitted by Senator Dahiru (see Paragraph 14 of his affidavit), he took the initiative of approaching me in Abuja, to intervene on his behalf, with Justice Ayo Salami, over the Sokoto gubernatorial appeal case before the Court of Appeal. Senator Abu Ibrahim, through whom I first Senator Dahiru, was a witness on that occasion, when Senator Dahiru told me he had approached Justice Salami in company of some other people, but that Justice Salami flatly refused to interfere in any matter before the Court of Appeal. He therefore said he was counting on my goodwill because he believed Justice Salami was my friend, since we both came from Lagos.

•        But immediately Senator Dahiru broached his mission, I told him point blank that I had never before and will never discuss such matters with Justice Salami. I told him I did not intend to start such a practice now. I added that, even if I wanted to intervene, I did not think that the Salami I knew would change his mind, once it was made up, especially as it bordered on ethical conduct concerning a case before his court. All these can be confirmed from Senator Abu Ibrahim who, by the grace of God, is still alive and well.

•        Senator Dahiru’s claim that I pleaded with him to facilitate Justice Salami’s confirmation must be seen as a cheap blackmail that it is. As far as I know, Justice Salami was the only candidate for confirmation. As far as I know too, the senator and his committee had a constitutional responsibility to perform in that screening. Is the distinguished senator then saying that he did the Honourable Justice a favour so that he could influence him in future to mis-carry justice?

•        I feel constrained to insert this advertorial because I strongly believe that facts must be stated, if only for the records. Besides, it is highly immoral for a politician who is also a lawyer, to cast aspersion on the integrity of a high caliber judicial officer for narrow political interests.

•        Let me re-emphasise that all my life I have believed in the sanctity and integrity of the judicial process. As Governor of Lagos State, I took bold and proactive steps to uphold the dignity and autonomy of the judiciary, an institution that I believe is the bedrock of democracy; and one to which I always took recourse, to protect the interest of Lagos State. It is certainly too late in the day for me to change this firm and unshakable belief in the sanctity of the judicial process.

BOLA AHMED TINUBU                                                   

Asiwaju of Lagos