The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the failure of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, to personally respond to a protest letter sent to him by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court over the poor welfare conditions and the deplorable state of the apex court was a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the 2023 general election.
The PDP stated that the failure of Muhammad to address the issues raised by the CJN Justices was a “systemic design by the APC-government to ensure that the Judiciary is stifled and handicapped to deliver on its constitutional duty as an independent arm of government.”
The main opposition party said this in a statement issued by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, a copy of which was made available to The Star on Thursday.
The Star recalls that the Supreme Court Justices, in a letter, accused Muhammad of being indifferent to their plight.
They noted that the CJN totally ignored the demand and travelled abroad with his spouse, children, and personal staff.
Other issues raised by the Supreme Court Justices include accommodation, healthcare, electricity tariff, vehicles, supply of diesel, internet services to justices’ residences, among others.
The CJN later reacted via a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ahuraka Isah, saying the challenges were borne out of the high cost of electricity tariff and diesel, which he said are “national problem”.
However, the PDP said instead of personally addressing the issues raised, the CJN allowed his media aide to respond to the Justices of the Supreme Court via a press statement in “a manner that shows impunity and utter disregard to the Justices and the Institution of the Judiciary”.
It further called on the CJN to “immediately and personally” address the issues raised by the Justices of the apex court, “especially those that border on allegations of corruption and underhand dealings”.
The party stated: “The protest letter by Justices of the Supreme Court to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Mohammed, further confirms the furtive plots by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Government to emasculate the judiciary in a bid to foist a fascist system and subvert the Will of Nigerians in the 2023 general elections.
“The failure of the CJN to address the weighty issues contained in the said protest letter reveals that there is a systemic design by the APC-government to ensure that the Judiciary is stifled and handicapped to deliver on its constitutional duty as an independent arm of government.
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“Our party holds as outrageous that instead of personally addressing the issues raised, the CJN rather allowed his media aide to respond to the revered Justices of the Supreme Court via a press statement in a manner that shows impunity and utter disregard to the Justices and the Institution of the Judiciary.
“The evidence of this systemic emasculation of the Judiciary is manifest in the unrelenting intimidation and harassment of judges; the vicious midnight attacks, orchestrated and unlawful removal of judicial officers and disabling of the independence of the judiciary by the APC administration.
“The plots by the APC to cripple the operations of the Supreme Court as uncovered in the conditions described by the Supreme Court Justices confirm a malicious design by APC leaders to subvert our judicial system so as to cover their atrocities against Nigerians.
“It is clear that the APC is desperate to silence judges in Nigeria through the stagnation of our judicial infrastructure and operation, staging the invasion of courts to disrupt proceedings in various parts of our country, denying judges of the rights to a conducive atmosphere to dispense justice and perform their constitutionally assigned roles for which a conducive atmosphere is indispensable.
“This explains why the APC undertook the 2016 midnight raid and arrest of judges including Justices of the Supreme Court; an action which is akin to a declaration of war against the judiciary resulting in the sudden death of some of the judges from emotional trauma and embarrassment.
“Nigerians are reminded about the harassment, intimidation, suspension, illegal and unjust removal from office of the former CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, by the APC, being afraid of his independent mindedness ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
“Nigerians can also recall the role reportedly played by the APC administration in staging the last year’s invasion of the now retired Justice Mary Odili’s home apparently to instill fear in the judiciary ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“It is instructive to recall that the Magistrate who issued the warrant for that dastardly act reportedly averred that he was misled by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.”
The PDP added that the letter by the Supreme Court Justices was “a wake-up call to all Nigerians, particularly the Bar and the Bench, the Civil Society, Organized Labour, the media and the International Community to rise to the occasion and rescue our judiciary from the stranglehold of the APC.”
“Our party, therefore, demands that the CJN immediately and personally address the issues raised by the Justices especially those that border on allegations of corruption and underhand dealings.
“The CJN must not by any means sweep these weighty allegations and issues under the carpet. This is the only way to assure Nigerians that the judiciary under the CJN Tanko Mohammed is indeed the hope of the common man in the impartial dispensation of justice,” PDP stated.
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