REINSTATEMENT: SALAMI’S HOPE DASHED AGAIN

THE hope of the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, as regards his reinstatement was again dashed on Monday as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit seeking his reinstatement.

The presiding judge, Justice Adamu Bello, declined jurisdiction on the  grounds that the plaintiff lacked locus to institute such an action.

It will be recalled that 11 legal practitioners under the aegis of the Registered Trustees of the Centre for the Promotion of Arbitration had approached the court seeking  to compel the National Judicial Council (NJC) to reinstate Salami.

In a judgment that lasted for about 20 minutes, Justice Bello held that the suit pertained to the individual rights of Salami and he (Salami) alone has the power to institute a suit to fight for his right.

The court further held that the instant suit was not a public interest one which just anybody could institute.

According to Justice Bello, “only Justice Ayo Salami has the locus to bring a legal suit because he is the one affected by the decision and not the plaintiffs.

“The plaintiffs have no locus to seek for an enforcement of a decision which does not affect them in any way.

“The court therefore lacks jurisdiction to entertain this suit and it is hereby struck out, I made no order as to cost.”

The plaintiffs had  earlier prayed the court to hold that the NJC, by virtue of the 1999 constitution, as amended, has the exclusive power to mete out sanctions against judicial officers. Such powers, it added, include discipline and recall.

Source: Tribune