Skip to main content

Why CJN Katsina-Alu Must Resign

February 11, 2011

The affidavit deposed by Justice Ayo Salami at the Federal High Court Abuja confessing that the CJN had mounted pressure on him to compromise his handling of the Sokoto gubernatorial case is but one out of the many hard facts being unraveled about the personality of the CJN.

The affidavit deposed by Justice Ayo Salami at the Federal High Court Abuja confessing that the CJN had mounted pressure on him to compromise his handling of the Sokoto gubernatorial case is but one out of the many hard facts being unraveled about the personality of the CJN.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });

Times without number the Nigerian Judiciary is abashed with ridiculing and image tarnishing by the apparent corrupt tendencies of the CJN.

It is disheartening and worrisome as well for the Nigerian Judiciary at this critical period when the foundation of the institution of democracy is being laid to be headed by a corrupt individual who is ready to subvert the course of justice for a token fee. Since his appointment as CJN, Katsina-Alu has remained on the headlines as a man of dubious character whose quest for money is widely known in the judicial circle, amongst Lawyers, and down to persons and parties pursuing cases in our Courts.

The greatest weakness exhibited by the CJN is his inability to overcome his monetary instinct as it relates to electoral cases that characterized the outcome of the 2007 general elections and the consequent bye elections that arose thereof. From the gubernatorial cases in Delta, Edo, EKiti, Osun, Niger, Kaduna, Kebbi down to Sokoto, the CJN has been fingered in all attempts to subvert the court of justices by negotiating judgements for a price tag so determined by him and his cronies.

Most stubborn are the allegations from various quarters that the CJN does not hide his feeling against any Election Tribunal or Court of Appeal Judge that does not cooperate in such Judgement-for-a-price policy. In virtually all election cases nationwide, the CJN’s finger prints are visibly seen. Where he was able to make the Judges succumb to his request, the favourable verdict goes to the highest bidder. Where not, various allegations were concocted against the panel members and in some cases were referred to National Judicial Commission for disciplinary actions. It’s a pity.

It must however be observed that the CJN is half clever in the sense that his tricks seem to work only in such politically domicile, cowardly and timid northern environment where his actions and inactions remain unchallenged. In the southwest zone, for instance, virtually all his dirty ploys in respect of election cases were vehemently exposed and opposed. That’s why the Court of Appeal judges in that part of the country were able to exercise their independence and delivered judgements that changed the political landscape of the zone. We must all cry for the poor north where the CJN could make judges succumb to his personal greediness and pass judgements that lack merit and substance.

The greatest victims of the CJN’s cash-and-carry judicial policy are the electorates of Sokoto state. The Sokoto gubernatorial case has been adjudged by all (save the CJN and his cronies) as the greatest rape of the current democratic dispensation. It borders on nomination irregularities that at one time led to the sacking of the accused person from office, having found him by the Court of Appeal as not eligible to contest an elective post as at April 2007. Dubiously, the Court refused to prevent that same candidate from participating in the re-run election so ordered.

When the opposition party demanded for the interpretation of the judgement and praying for Judiciary to stop the sacked person from partaking in the re-run, nothing was done for two years thereafter. After the re-run election, the case was tabled before the election tribunal and subsequently Appeal Court. The latter had fixed a date in February 2010 to deliver judgment on the case when the CJN appeared in his true colour to direct that the Court should withhold delivering the judgement to a latter, unspecified date. All that we heard was that both the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami and the Panel members that were billed to deliver the judgement were summoned to Abuja to clear themselves of the allegation of unethical conduct leveled against them by one of the party to the case.

Then, of course, very little did we know that the CJN was playing to the gallery and had by then concluded his usual price bargain style over the case. So high was the price paid that the Supreme Court, unilaterally against the legal practice and procedures, took over the case from the Court of Appeal that is constitutionally vested with powers over the gubernatorial election cases as par the 2006 Electoral Act.

The next casualty in the CJN’s ploy is the Sultan of Sokoto whose name and office, as Justice Salami exposed, has been used by the CJN to threaten the Court of Appeal judges. In the case of Sokoto, Salami confesses that the CJN told him that the Sultan has interest in the case and that should there be change of government in the state, the Sultan too would be dethroned by the new government.

This confession by Salami is very serious and daunting on the Sultanate. It either shows how tricky the CJN is and the crook ways and manners he employs to achieve his personal needs or it reveals clearly that the Sultanate didn’t know that there are many out there who are aware of the deals they were contracted to do by one of the parties to the case. Now that all of this has been exposed, what next for the Sultanate: to deny dealing with the CJN over the matter or to deny being a supporter to one of the parties to the case. This is a great task, as currently the mindset of the citizens has been tilted towards believing Salami’s revelations.

As for the CJN, the best and only way he may retain what remains of his personality is to resign. Let him worriedly drop his robes and quietly move to his village. Afterall, he can use the accumulated gratifications so garnered from the bargains of the electoral cases to establish yam plantation in his hometown and sustain his post retirement life. The shame and endless accusations leveled against him by Court clients is eroding the confidence citizens have on Nigeria’s judiciary. Most importantly, now that President Jonathan and Jega’s INEC are bent on organizing a credible election in April 2011, a sound and incorruptible Judiciary is very vital. With the likes of Katsina-Alu in the saddle, the Judiciary has nothing to contribute to the democratization process in Nigeria.

Arinzechukwu Emenike can be reach through Coalition for the Defense
of democracy. e-mail: [email protected]

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });

Topics
Politics