The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has denied having any telephone conversation with anybody including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the on-going Presidential Election Petition Court over the 2023 election.
This is as he also declared that the Courts are statutorily established to serve the best interest of the masses and members of the judiciary are ever poised to do that to the best of their ability.
However, the CJN cautioned that if the current trend of falsehood and mudslinging is sustained, the nation may not make the desired progress.
The CJN’s position was contained in a statement on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 by the Director of Press and Information, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Dr Akande Festus in which he stressed that the head of the Nigeria’s judiciary neither spoke with President Tinubu nor the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), with a view to pressurizing the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) on the likely judgment to give in respect of the petitions before it.
He said it is imperative to clearly state that there was no iota of truth in the narrative, as there was no such telephone conversation between him and anyone.
According to Justice Ariwoola; “Nigerians have been following the proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal with admirable enthusiasm. So, it is advisable we all sustain the tempo and follow it up to the end, instead of relapsing into the realm of speculations and rumour peddling that will not do anyone any good.
“We wish to plead with everyone to cooperate with the judiciary to serve the country to its full capacity, as no one will ever be favoured against the other in any dispute.
“The rule of law and supremacy of the Nigerian Constitution will always be upheld and applied in every matter that comes before the courts; as the facts presented and the subsisting laws must be applied in determining the merit or otherwise of each matter,” he said.
Justice Ariwoola therefore assured the public that justice would be done to all matters pending in the various courts across the country, irrespective of who is involved.
