SOCIETY for Rule of Law in Nigeria, an Abuja-based organization, has urged the National Judicial Council
and security agencies in the country to probe claims by former Minister of State for Defense, Dr. Olu Agunloye, that it was the suspended president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami who nominated Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu as the Action Congress of Nigeria for the Ondo State governorship election.
The group said Agunloye’s claim should not be wished away because allegation of involvement of judges in selection of political party’s candidates for election is one that portends grave danger for democratic governance and rule of law in the country.
When asked whether it was true that Justice Salami actually influenced the choice of Akeredolu as ACN candidate, Agunloye, who was also a governorship aspirant in the party said that ACN scribe, Mr. Bola Tinubu was quoted on the issue.
“Tinubu himself was quoted to have said that he needed to do this as compensation to Justice Salami,” said Mr. Agunloye, saying he and others present couldn’t fathom what business the suspended Appeal Court president had with Ondo State politics.
“We were asking him what concerns Ondo State with Justice Salami and if Salami had done any good for you, find a way of compensating him and if he is interested in governorship of Kwara State, give him Kwara State and not Ondo State.”
Reacting, the Society said in a statement issued today by its National Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that Agunloye’s revelation was a further confirmation of the unholy relationship that exist between Justice Salami and the ACN leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and “the NJC must act on this new revelation.”
“We wish to draw the attention of Nigerians to the revelation made by Dr. Olu Agunloye in his interview published in some newspapers last Saturday and Sunday, on the involvement of Justice Salami in the emergence of Mr. Akeredolu as the ACN governorship candidate for Ondo State, and wish to state that such claims are not what should be wished away.
“This is because the issue of Salami’s unholy relationship with the ACN leader, Bola Tinubu has remained one of the major credibility crises facing the judiciary in Nigeria and Agunloye’s revelation has provided another clue as to how it can be resolved.
“Besides, democracy in Nigeria risks grave danger if judges are now openly involved in partisan politics.
“Our question is, with Akeredolu as the candidate of a notorious judge, who also has his ‘trusted’ men in the bench, what will happen when litigations arise on the Ondo State governorship election?
“Are judges going to be imported from other countries to sit on petitions arising from the Ondo State election?
“The NJC and security agencies in the country must therefore probe Dr. Agunloye’s claim, because like other revelations on Salami and Tinubu’s convivial relationship, it touches on the very root of rule of law in the country,” SRLN said.