A non-governmental organization, the Society for the Rule of Law in Nigeria has called for the immediate dismissal of the suspended President Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, after a recent police report indicting him of “unethical” practices.
“With the Police Report indicting him of unethical telephone interactions with Action Congress of Nigeria leaders during the pendency of the Osun and Ekiti States Election Appeal cases, Justice Salami has become a stain on the white garment of the Nigeria judiciary.”
The group commended the Nigerian Police for unraveling the truth behind the Judicial robbery of the Governorship Election Appeals in Osun and Ekiti states by the ACN leadership through Justice Salami’s unethical communications with the party leaders during the pendency of the cases before the court.
Reacting to the release of the police investigation report on the suppression of evidence by MTN at the National Judicial Council probe panel, the SRLN stated in a press statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that the report confirms the “invidious roles” of the Action Congress of Nigeria party.
The society urged the police to conduct further investigation on whether financial inducement was involved and the magnitude of the amount involved in the saga in view of the well-known capacity of the ACN leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to financially compromise any institution or person in the country.
The group called on the NJC to revisit the decision of the Justice Umaru Abdullahi Panel set up to probe allegations of misconduct against Justice Salami and other justices, who sat on the panel of Osun and Ekiti states, saying; “it is now clear that Justice Salami and others were cleared of allegations of unethical behaviours on the Osun and Ekiti States Election Appeal cases based on the ignoble role played by the MTN, by deliberately concealing vital information required from the Call Logs provided to the panel by former Governors of Osun and Ekiti states, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Chief Segun Oni respectively.”
“Police investigation has now confirmed that Justice Salami compromised his position as the President of the Court of Appeal and that MTN assisted him to escape the NJC hammer.
“Therefore, it is now time for the NJC to dismiss him (Salami) from the bench, failing which we call on President Goodluck Jonathan to reactivate his letter to the Senate for the dismissal of the suspended PCA from the bench for breaching his oath of office and code of ethics of the judiciary.
“We are also calling on the Attorney General of the Federation to immediately order the prosecution of MTN for its ignoble and unethical corporate conduct in frustrating security agents in unravelling a grievous act of corruption in Nigeria.
“The question MTN must be asked is whether or not the Company can perpetrate such act in South Africa, its base.
“This case is therefore another litmus test for the President Jonathan-led government to demonstrate its willingness to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.”
The group, which said it was aware that MTN, through its pilfering and plundering of its customers, had enormous financial resources to corruptly induce and compromise any institution in the country, said it was sure that President Jonathan would once again rise to the occasion by ordering the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the company in line with the transformation agenda of eradicating corruption in Nigeria.