Justices War Against CJN-Tanko: Senate Directs Committee To Intervene
Following the allegation of maladministration against the Chief Judge of the Federation, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad by Justices of the Supreme Court, the Senate on Wednesday mandated its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to, as a matter of urgency, wade into the crisis the apex court.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who gave the directive moments before the adjournment of the Upper chamber, said there are some issues coming out of the Judiciary.
Lawan said; “We must have interest in what is happening in that arm of government. I believe that we owe it to Nigerians, to look into what is happening in that arm of government with the view to bringing solutions to the problem that our Judiciary in Nigeria faces.
“So, I’ll urge our Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, to get involved with the CJN and Judiciary generally – at this level with the Supreme Court – to find out what the real issues are; and how the National Assembly can help,” he said.
Fourteen Justices of the Supreme Court recently leveled allegations of corruption against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed.
The Justices, in a memo addressed to the CJN, protested the non-payment of their legitimate entitlements by the Tanko-led administration of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court Justices complained that their annual foreign training meant to enhance capacity building for the country’s judicial process, had been blocked by the Justice Tanko.
They also protested the non-replacement of poor vehicles; accommodation problem; lack of drugs at the Supreme Court clinic; epileptic electricity supply to the Supreme Court; increase in electricity tariff; lack of increase in their allowances for diesel; lack of internet services to their residences and chambers, amongst others.
