The Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Transparency and Good Governance (CCSGTGG) has demanded the resignation of Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Olukayode Ariwoola, following his remarks on the G5 group of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors.
The CJN, who recently visited Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is said to be pleased that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde is a member of the G5.
Speaking to journalists in Kaduna yesterday, coalition Secretary General Muhammad Bn-Ahmad said “the CJN has set a poor precedent” for others and should have the decency to step down, as most honest people do for less obvious reasons.
He stated: “Nigeria is a democratic society and one that allows for free speech. The constitution has made that a reality and, as Nigerians, we are free to speak on issues of national interest, but in a guarded way. But, a thing of note is that as much as we have been licensed by the constitution to freely speak, people in certain situations or offices must be extremely careful of what to say, particularly as regards ethno-religious affiliations.
“In what recently happened in Port Harcourt, particularly over the utterances of His Lordship, Olukayode Ariwoola, the coalition has decided to, in unity, stand to emphatically consider the statements made by CJN as double standard.”
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According to the group, the CJN, by the tacit endorsement of a section of the political community, has inadvertently drowned the nation’s judiciary deep into the murky waters of a kind of cut-throat politics some politicians are known for.
It added: “CCSGTGG, therefore finds it unacceptable for the CJN to continue in that position after presenting himself as an active player in a particular team, thereby completely destroying the reality and appearance of a fair, impartial and non-partisan justice administration system. We warn that it is not possible to have a successful democracy without a fair and impartial judiciary, and it is not possible to have a fair and impartial judiciary that lacks independence in partisan political activities.”
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