By Gideon Njoku
But for the intervention of the Police, the Supreme Court could have been invaded by angry groups of the Civil Society Organisations
In their hundreds, members, under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Societies of Nigeria, on Tuesday, November 29, assembled in Abuja, and took to the streets in protest against the continued stay in office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola.
They assembled at the Unity Fountain, and were headed to the Supreme Court, when their mission was cut-short by a detachment of Police personnel, led by Chief Superintendent of Police, Altine, Daniel, which dispersed them by deploying tear gas.
They are asking for the resignation of the CJN within seven days, or they would embark on a nationwide protest.
Ariwoola entered into trouble over his utterances on a visit to Rivers State recently to commission buildings (Judicial) construted by the State Government.
At a banquet held in his honour by Governor Nyesom Wike, where the Governor of his home State, Oyo, Seyi Makinde, was present, Ariwoola was said to have, allegedly, not only heaped praises on Wike, but said he was happy that Makinde is a member of the PDP five Governors, who are at loggerheads with the PDP National Leadership and the Presidential candidate of the Party, Atiku Abubakar.
Wike is the leader of the “rebellious” group known as G5, but recently renamed, Integrity Group.
The alleged statement by the CJN has been condemned by different groups, including Atiku’s Media Office, and the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.
They accuse the CJN of dabbling into politics, and said he can no longer be trusted to remain impartial in office, especially with the 2023 General Elections around the corner. They want him out of office.
On Tuesday, the Coalition of Civil Societies joined the fray. They referred to the CJN as a “Judicial politician”, and submitted that the time has come to get rid of all “Judicial Politicians.”
Just before the disruption of the protest by the Police, the Spokesperson of the Coalition, Olayinka Dada, addressed Journalists.
He said: “We are out today to save our hard fought democracy. Seeing the hard fought democracy under threat as we are witnessing now I’d nonetheless, a misnomer Nigerians will resist this affront with all legitimacy of their convictions.
“A few days ago, Nigerians woke up to the reckless partisan interference of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tajudeen Olukayode Ariwoola, in political dispute capable of making Nigerians distrust the electoral processes leading to the 2023 General elections.
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria, in an unholy visitation to Rivers State, alleged to be a commissioning exercise, made reckless statements, in favour of his new found political friend, Nyesom Wike.
“The Coalition of Civil Societies of Nigeria has since analysed his statement at the commissioning, and came to the conclusion that democracy is, indeed, in danger.
“How do we explain that the man saddled with the impartial role of dispensing justice is now on the side of a particular group in a political dispute?
“This portents great danger to the smooth dispensation of justice in case of electoral dispute before, during and after the 2023 General Elections.
“Nigerians will not watch this overbearing suggestion by the CJN to Rob off on the citizens on the good governance which they have suffered in the last eight years.
“Governor Makinde is a renowned ally of Governor Wike and others in the camp. What is the business of the CJN, advocating for them outside the Courts?
“As responsible citizens of this Country, and the voice of the voiceless, we demand the immediate sack of the CJN, especially now. The CJN’s position is nonetheless an invitation to anarchy and we condemn his political romance with political actors in all ramifications.
“In the coming days, should the CJN refuse to resign, our Coalition will press for all legitimate means through Citizens’ revolt fir him to vacate the exalted, impartial and independent office if the Chief Justice of Nigeria.”
In its statement signed by Senator Dino Melaye, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, berated the CJN, for his alleged utterances in Rivers State, and asked him to quit office, immediately, both as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the CJN
The statement reads in part:
“With the scandalous conduct of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, it has become expedient and a matter of honour that he resigns from the exalted office that he has demonstrably abused.
“If he chooses to prolong his stay in office, to continue to serve the interest of his political friends, he may choose to recuse himself as Chairman of the National Judicial Council, turn himself in as a suspect, proceed on leave, and allow for a thorough evaluation of his conduct in line with the provisions of Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for judicial officers.
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who has just demonstrated his familiarity with the workings of G5 Governors has by seeking to recruit members into that group turned himself into a suspect, who only can not be trusted with a fair dispensation of justice in Nigeria, but a Chief Judicial Officer who has become tainted and unfit to superintend over the administration of Justice in Nigeria.
“Graver still, the descent of the Chief Justice of the Federation into the political arena is a gross and indefensible violation of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, section 5 of which states as follows:
“Right to freedom of expression (5.) A judge, like any other citizen, is entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association and assembly; but in exercising such rights, a judge shall always conduct himself in such manner as to preserve the dignity of the judicial office and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.
“Accordingly, a Judge shall act with such restraint as is necessary to: (a.) maintain public confidence in the impartiality and independence of the judiciary; (b.) avoid involvement in public discussion or discourse if his or her involvement could reasonably undermine confidence in his or her impartiality; (c.) avoid such occasions and circumstances where such involvement may unnecessarily expose the Judge to political attacks or be inconsistent with the dignity of a Judicial officer; and/or (d.) adhere strictly to political silence.
“Flowing from the above, the first thing that jumps out in 5(d) is the indiscretion of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola to fail to adhere to political silence. Rather he chose to be a recruiting agent for a distinct and unmistakable political group.
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria has by his pronouncement desecrated the dignity of the Judiciary, demonstrated partiality, eroded public confidence, exposed the judiciary to political attacks and acted in a manner that is inconsistent with the character, colour, and calling of his exalted office. In fact, he broke all the rules in this section. This represents a sad irony. It is a case of the gatekeeper carting away the goods in his custody.
“We are worried by this development, as this has confirmed the suspicion in certain circles that the judiciary has compromised its independence and is now dependent on certain interests, particularly in the executive branch.
“One can imagine a scenario in which the group the Chief Justice of Nigeria has patronised so openly appears before him with another party in a dispute. Where he presides bias can not be ruled out and where he does not preside his influence on other judges can not be discounted.
“Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has a duty to save the Judiciary, himself, and Nigeria’s democracy.”
But in a rebuttal of the allegations against the CJN, days after publications, his spokesperson, Dr Festus Akande said in a statement:
“We can’t really pinpoint where such barefaced falsehood is coming from, and certainly, we don’t also know at what point the CJN said he was happy that Governor Seyi was of Oyo State was a member of the now christened “Integrity Group” or “G-5 Governors.
“Everyone knows that the CJN, Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, is a Judicial officer and not a politician, as such, would never directly or remotely make such comments or innuendoes.
“We wish to set the record straight by making it clear that the CJN and other senior Judicial Officers drawn from different parts of the country were in Port Harcourt on Thursday and Friday, being the 24th and 25th of November, 2022, to commission the two buildings to accommodate the Federal Judicial Service Commission’s South-South Liaison Office and the Hon Justice Mary Peter-Odili Judicial Institute, that were conceptualized and constructed by the Rivers State Government.
“Even at the State Banquet organized as part of the events, the CJN made it clear in his brief remarks, that he (CJN) was not in Port Harcourt for the State Banquet but simply to commission the two projects as a mark of honour for the Judiciary and Hon Justice Mary Peter-Odili, retd, and later go back to Abuja, thereafter.
“Similarly, he said he was surprised to see the (“G-5 Governors”), just as he equally expressed the same surprise when he saw them in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the reception organized in his honour by his State Government in October, 2022.”
