JUDICIARY HAS SUCCUMBED TO PRESSURE FROM POLITICIANS – SALAMI

Former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami today declared that the country's judiciary has succumbed to pressure from politicians.
The situation, he said, had blighted the hope of Nigerians in the capacity of the judiciary to redeem their hope especially in election-related matters.
Salami spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State during a public lecture titled, "Voters Education: Rights, Duties and Responsibilities" organised by Mustapha Akanbi Foundation.
He noted that the seeming intimidation of the judiciary from adjudicating on cases of electoral fraud was one of the reasons for the voters' apathy usually witnessed during elections, saying, "We have problem now in convincing the voters to come and vote. That is why they are not collecting their voters cards".

I HAVE NO REGRETS, RETIRING JUSTICE SALAMI AFFIRMS

RETIRING President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, said yesterday that like any human being he was subject to”human foibles”,declaring that he never, for a moment, regretted what he did. Justice Salami who retires October 15, said these during the presentation of a book in his honour organised by the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

The 570 page book was entitled: “Nigeria judiciary: Contemporary issues on administration of justice.” Justice Salami was full of praises to God for making him survive attempts to tarnish his image. Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch, Rafiu Balogun, in his remarks urged the federal government to have a rethink on the Salami saga and recall the man who is now set for retirement next month.
He said, “We believe it is not too late to right the wrong because Salami has done this nation creditably well”.

SALAMI TENDERS RETIREMENT NOTICE •TO CONTINUE WITH CASE AGAINST NJC

THE suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, has reportedly tendered his notification of retirement to the National Judicial Council (NJC).
He is retiring on October 15, 2013 when he would be 70.
He was suspended by the council on August 18, 2011 for misconduct.
A spilt majority vote reinstated him on May 10, 2012, but was kept out of office by series of pending litigation, including the one he instituted, which challenged his suspension by the court.
His case and others brought by former governors of Osun and Ekiti states, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Segun Oni, respectively, were still pending in different courts.

JUSTICE SALAMI MAY BE ASKED TO GO ON TERMINAL LEAVE –INVESTIGATION

There are strong indications that the National Judicial Council (NJC),may ask the suspended President of the Court of Appeal (PCA),Justice Ayo Isa Salami,to proceed on terminal leave in July.

The development, according to a highly-placed source, is without prejudice to the suspended PCA’s pending suit,before a Federal High court sitting in Abuja.

By virtue of public service rule, which also applies to the judicial service, a public office holder, must proceed on pre-retirement leave three months to their date of retirement.

Sunday Mirror’s investigation from the NJC showed that the embattled PCA will be due for retirement in October, when he would have clocked the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

MORE TROUBLE FOR JUSTICE SALAMI

Loses choice land in Abuja  Petitions ICPC

Still contesting his removal as President of the Court of Appeal, another major challenge is now before Justice Isa Ayo Salami. This time, it is about the alleged transfer to someone else, of a piece of land previously allocated to him by the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory( FCT). The land, located within the Dakiyu District, also referred to as Cadastral Zone B10 of the FCT, originally bore the name Justice Isa Ayo Salami, KW (Kwara State). The document, however, now reads Justice Isah Ayo Salami, Niger State. The original picture of the Jurist has also been removed from FILE NUMBER: KW 1324 and replaced with that of his bogus ‘namesake’.

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.

COURT DELIVERS JUDGMENT ON SALAMI’S REINSTATEMENT TODAY

A Federal High Court in Abuja will today decide whether the assent of President Goodluck Jonathan is needed for the reinstatement of the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami.

Lawyers are also calling on the duo of President Jonathan and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukthar to be cautious in the handling of the outcome of the judgment.

Justice Adamu Bello had on January 17 fixed today for judgment in a suit brought by a legal advocacy group, Registered Trustees of Centre for the Promotion of Arbitration, after taking submission of two principals but diametrically opposed defendants; the National Judicial Council (NJC) and President Goodluck Jonathan.

POLICE ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SALAMI, ACN LEADERS

• Recommend MTN for trial for suppressing facts
The police have recommended that MTN Nigeria Limited be prosecuted for deliberately suppressing information that some Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leaders were in communication with the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami.
The police, in a report dated February 8, 2013 and signed by Ali Amodu, Commissioner of Police, X Squad, said an investigation revealed that there was communication between Salami and the ACN leaders while he was presiding over an election petition appeal filed by the party over the 2007 governorship election dispute in Osun State.
The report followed an investigation into a petition to the police by a former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, wherein he alleged that Salami had an unholy relationship with the ACN leaders that influenced his judgment in the dispute between the ACN as well as Oyinlola and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Oyinlola, in the petition, accused MTN of conspiracy, forgery and perversion of the course of justice.