PDP demands prosecution of Salami, MTN •Says, CPC is mischievous

THE Osun and Ekiti state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have written to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to demand the prosecution of Justice Ayo Salami for perjury and abuse of office.

Justice Ayo Salami

In a letter dated September 21 2011, sent to the AGF by their lawyers, the two chapters are of the view that the suspended President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) breached the code of conduct for judicial officers by interacting with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftains and the party’s legal representatives while their cases were being heard by the Court of Appeal.
The letter also said that the National Judicial Council (NJC) investigative panel, in spite of its attempt at a whitewash, also submitted that Justice Salami lied on oath, an offence the PDP lawyers claimed is criminal in nature and attracts a prison term of 14 years upon conviction.
They said: “Sir, by virtue of your position as the chief law officer of the federation, we expected your office to take more than a passing interest in the Justice Salami saga.  We are shocked that several weeks after the NJC panel made its report public, your office has not deemed it fit to commence criminal proceedings against him.
“Any situation like Justice Salami’s that tends to bring the judiciary to monumental ridicule and opprobrium in the eyes of the public must be dealt with in a timely and decisive manner.
“Sir, we hope that in the next few days, you will set machinery in motion to institute criminal proceedings against Justice Ayo Salami.  Or in the alternative, grant us a fiat to initiate criminal action against him.”
In a related development, the AGF also received a letter from the PDP lawyers, intimating his office of what it called the ignoble role played by MTN, a GSM service provider during the sitting  of the NJC investigative panel.
The letter, entitled “MTN Nigeria: Perversion of the course of justice,” also dated September 21 2011, says, inter alia: “As you are aware Sir, the panel was set up to look into allegations of corruption made by our clients against Justice Ayo Salami and other justices of the Court of Appeal that heard the 2007 gubernatorial election appeals in Ekiti and Osun states. We have written to MTN Nigeria; informing it of our clients’ resolve to pursue a case of obstruction of the course of justice against it to a logical conclusion.”
“We expect Sir, that in the next seven (7) days, you will set machinery in motion to prosecute MTN Nigeria; to serve as a deterrent to other entities that may want to follow such paths in unwholesome corporate practice.  Sir, kindly grant us a fiat to prosecute MTN Nigeria, as we are in possession of relevant evidence to secure an indictment.”
Additionally, a letter of complaint to MTN Nigeria has been copied MTN Group CEO in South Africa, as well as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

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