the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has urged the
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Tanko Muhammad, to stop
unnecessary delay in constituting a Supreme Court panel to determine
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s case challenging the Presidential Tribunal
ruling in favour of General Muhammadu Buhari.
Frank demanded that the CJN should constitute the Supreme Court panel
based on the tradition of seniority and not “consulting or waiting on
the advice of the presidency.”
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the
political activist said it amount to injustice for the CJN to delay the
constitution of the 7-man panel more than a month after the presidential
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appealed the
Presidential Tribunal’s judgement.
“We are reliably informed of an unholy alliance between the CJN and the
presidency which is causing the delay in constitution of the panel, such
move is dangerous for Nigeria’s democracy.
“The CJN must respect the normal tradition of following the order of
seniority in selecting the justices. Even all the times Bubari himself
had approached the Supreme Court in the past, order of seniority was
followed.The precedent is set contrary to the ongoing shopping for
judges who will be favorable to the whims and caprices of General Buhari
and the APC.
“If anything contrary to the tradition of order of seniority which we
all know is allowed to happen, that will confirm that the CJN has bowed
to the pressure from the presidency and that will also confirm the
allegation made earlier by the CUPP.
“It is obvious that the judiciary under the current administration seems
to have been caged but it is high time our judiciary showed courage. The
whole world witnessed the courage showed by the Supreme Court in the
United Kingdom recently. Even in Africa, Kenya’s Supreme Court has also
proven to be independent when it recently nullified presidential
election of a sitting president, Nigeria’s judiciary must prove its
worth in this case.
“A situation where the CJN has to consult the presidency or the AGF
before a panel is constituted does not show an independent judiciary,”
Frank stated.
While calling the attention of the international community on the
matter, the Bayelsa born activist said in a democratic system once
justice is not seen to be given, anarchy and chaos will be the order of
the day.
Frank also called on the former CJNs to call Justice Tank to order, to
avoid playing politics but adhere to precedents laid by them.
“Nigeria is greater and more important than General Buhari and his
cabal. I therefore, call on the good people of Nigeria, the African
Union (AU) and other International Community to ensure that the
independence of the judiciary must remain sacrosanct and inalienable,
and compel Justice Tanko to do the right thing,” Frank stated.